Minister Hwang Hee: "Former Minister Lee O-ryeong's passion is clearly felt, a person who led the leap in cultural policy"

Literary Critic, Journalist, Writer, Professor... Active as the "Intellect of the Era"
"Funeral Ceremony to be Held at the National Library of Korea, a Symbol of Intellect"

Lee O-ryeong, the first Minister of Culture and Honorary Chair Professor at Ewha Womans University, passed away on the 26th after battling cancer. He was 89 years old. Born in 1933 in Asan, Chungnam (officially registered as born in 1934), he was a literary critic, journalist, and professor, recognized as a leading Korean scholar and one of the greatest intellectuals of our time. The photo shows his portrait placed at the funeral hall set up at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 27th. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Hwang Hee, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, announced on the 26th that he would hold a respectful funeral for the late Lee Eoryeong, the first Minister of Culture, who passed away, stating that he led the leap forward in South Korea's cultural policy. Minister Hwang served as the funeral committee chairman for the deceased.

On the 27th, Minister Hwang said, "The first person I visited after taking office was former Minister Lee. Despite his difficult battle with illness, we spent over an hour together, and I can still vividly feel his sparkling eyes and passion. The precious words he shared that day resonate like his lasting will."

He continued, "As the inaugural Minister of Culture, former Minister Lee left a great legacy that allowed our country's cultural policy to take a significant leap forward. I am grateful and relieved that we were able to award him the Order of Cultural Merit before it was too late." The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism awarded him the Gold Crown Order of Cultural Merit last October for his contributions to the development of Korean literature.

The Ministry will hold the funeral as a Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism funeral (葬) to honor former Minister Lee's wishes and to share the occasion with many people. The farewell ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. on the 2nd of next month at the International Conference Hall of the National Library in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Minister Hwang is the funeral committee chairman, with Vice Ministers Kim Hyunhwan and Oh Youngwoo serving as vice chairmen. The funeral hall is set up at Seoul National University Hospital.

The farewell ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on the 2nd of next month at the International Conference Hall of the National Library in Seocho-gu, Seoul.

Minister Hwang said, "We will prepare with the utmost respect to ensure there is no neglect on the final journey," adding, "After completing the funeral procedures, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will consider how to remember former Minister Lee together with the public."

The deceased was born in 1933 (officially 1934) in Asan, Chungnam, and was regarded as one of the greatest intellectuals of our time, working as a literary critic, journalist, and professor.

In January 1990, when the Ministry of Culture and Public Information was split into the Ministry of Public Information and the Ministry of Culture, he was appointed as the first Minister of Culture. As a leading scholar representing Korea, he published numerous works including "In the Soil, In the Wind" (1960), "The Japanese Who Shrink" (1984), "This is Korea" (1986), "Dialogue with World Intellects" (1987), "Change Your Thinking, Change Your Future" (1997), "Digilog" (2006), "From Intellect to Spirituality" (2010), and "Life is Capital" (2013).

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