Moon Jae-in, the former president, on the 25th expressed "sorrow and condolences" over the death of The Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC) Executive Vice Chair Lee Hae-chan, who served as prime minister.
Moon wrote on his Facebook page that day, "From the pro-democracy movement in civil society to successive democratic administrations, Lee always stood at the center and devoted his life to democracy and the nation."
He added, "As a longtime comrade and a reliable partner in state affairs, I will cherish the time we spent together," and "I pray that you lay down that heavy burden and rest in peace."
Lee, the executive vice chair, served as leader of the Democratic Party of Korea in 2018, during Moon's term. In 2017, Moon's first year after being elected, he also visited China as a special envoy.