President Moon: "Late Lee Oeryong, Discoverer of Our Culture... Condolences"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] President Moon Jae-in mourned the passing of Professor Lee Oe-ryeong, Ewha Womans University Distinguished Professor, who died on the 26th.

President Moon expressed his condolences through a social network service (SNS) message on the same day, saying, "Teacher Lee Oe-ryeong was a discoverer of our culture and a pioneer who newly blossomed tradition by connecting it with reality."

Professor Lee, who served as the first Minister of Culture, decorated the closing of the 1988 Olympics opening ceremony with the appearance of the "Gulleongsoe Boy" and expounded on East Asian civilization theory through "Bojagi Humanities."

President Moon said, "Teacher Lee played a big role in making us love our culture more deeply," adding, "The gulleongsoe, which was a children's game, introduced Korea's culture of emptiness and stillness at the Seoul Olympics opening ceremony thanks to Teacher Lee. The bojagi, once a common item around us, was rediscovered as an icon of traditional culture that wraps and integrates everything."

President Moon mentioned that the government awarded the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit to Professor Lee last year, saying, "Teacher Lee left us many things. Although they differ in form, they are all about ways to love the Republic of Korea," and wished him eternal rest.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.