[아이뉴스24 서민지 기자] At the funeral hall of Asan Medical Center in Seoul, where the burial place of the late LS Group’s first chairman, Koo Ja-hong (currently, LS Nikko Copper Smelting Chairman) was prepared, a procession was held to commemorate the people in the political and business circles. LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and other members of the Pan-LG family guarded the mortuary for three days to see off the deceased’s final path.
At the funeral home of Chairman Koo Ja-hong at Seoul Asan Hospital in Songpa-gu, Seoul, until the 14th, the fourth day of the funeral, people from the political and business circles continued to walk.
Chairman Koo Gwang-mo visited the mortuary at 5:58 pm that day and stayed there for about 30 minutes. Despite the inclement weather, he visited for three consecutive days following the 12th and 13th to pay tribute to the deceased.
Chairman Koo Gwang-mo met with reporters after his condolences on the 12th and said, “He was a very caring and warm person.
On that day, former LS Group Chairman Koo Ja-yeol (Chairman of the Korea International Trade Association) and LS Group Chairman Koo Ja-eun visited around 12:00 noon and stayed in the mortuary for about 20 minutes before leaving the funeral home. Former Chairman Koo Ja-yeol and Koo Ja-eun also visited the funeral home for three days in a row from the 12th to this day when the funeral was established.
Former Chairman Koo Ja-yeol and Koo Ja-eun have a close relationship with the deceased. LS Group is continuing ‘cousin succession’ according to the principle of ‘co-management by cousins’ set by its predecessors. Chairman Koo Ja-hong served as the first chairman of LS Group for nine years from 2004 to 2012, and then handed over the seat to former chairman Koo Ja-yeol in 2013. Former Chairman Koo Ja-yeol will also lead the group for nine years until 2021, then handed over management rights to Koo Ja-eun in November of last year.
During the funeral, LX Group Chairman Koo Bon-joon, Heesung Group Chairman Koo Bon-neung, and LF Chairman Koo Bon-geol also visited the funeral to pay tribute to the deceased and comfort the bereaved family.
The third-generation executives of LS Group also visited the funeral home for three days in a row. Bon-hyeok Koo, President and CEO of Yesco Holdings, Bon-gyu Koo, Vice President, CEO of LS Cable & System, Bon-gwon Koo, Executive Vice President of E1 E1, and Bon-kwon Koo, Executive Vice President of LS Nikko Copper Smelter stayed at the mortuary for a long time and comforted the bereaved family including Koo Bon-woong, CEO of Maum Group.
The deceased’s son is CEO Koo Bon-woong, CEO Koo Bon-hyuk, vice president Koo Bon-gyu, executive director Koo Bon-kwon is fourth cousin, and executive director Koo Dong-hwi is sixth cousin. In the case of CEO Bon-woong Koo, he is not involved in LS Group management.
In GS Street, GS Group Honorary Chairman Huh Chang-soo (Chairman of the National Federation of Businesses), GS Group Chairman Huh Tae-soo, GS Retail former Chairman Huh Seung-jo, GS E&C President Huh Yun-hong, GS Caltex Chairman Huh Dong-soo, GS Caltex President Huh Se-hong, GS Energy President Huh Yong-su, GS Retail Vice Chairman Huh Yeon-su They visited the funeral home. Cosmo Group Chairman Huh Kyung-soo and Samyang Trading Chairman Huh Kwang-soo also visited the funeral.
Chairman Huh Chang-soo said, “It’s a pity. We worked together, but I thought we’d live longer…” Chairman Huh and the deceased worked together at Bando Corporation (now LX International, former LG International) in the 1970s.
LG Group Vice Chairman Kwon Bong-seok, LG Energy Solutions Vice Chairman Kwon Young-soo, LG Electronics President Jo Joo-wan, LG Group Vice Chairman Kang Yoo-shik, LG Display President Jung Ho-young, and former and current LG CEOs also visited the funeral to pay tribute to the deceased.
On the 12th, when the business circles started condolences, SK Group Chairman Choi Tae-won (Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry) visited the funeral home and expressed his regret, saying, “I am sorry. He was a good old man, but it is quite disappointing.” Mirae Asset Chairman Choi Hyun-man, former KT Chairman Lee Seok-chae, and Ajou Group Chairman Moon Kyu-young also paid their condolences.
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-yeon, and CJ Group Chairman Lee Jae-hyung are said to have expressed their condolences in harmony.
A tribute procession continued in the political world as well. Former Prime Minister Jeong Un-chan recalled the deceased as “a person who is kind and gets along well with his wife, who is like a role model for us.”
In addition, President Yoo Young-min, Chief of Staff, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Moon Seung-wook, former lawmaker Jang Byeong-wan, and former lawmaker Kim Jong-seok visited the funeral.
Baduk figures also paid tribute to the deceased. Chairman Koo Ja-hong is a certified amateur 6th dan and has been sponsoring the ‘dream tree project’ since 1997. Pros from the Go Dream Tree such as Lee Se-dol, Choi Cheol-han, Kwon Gap-yong, Jo Hye-yeon, Park Sang-jin, Park Jong-hoon, Shin Jin-seo, and Shin Min-jun offered condolences.
Meanwhile, Chairman Koo Ja-hong passed away at the age of 77 around 8 am on the 11th. His funeral will be held at 8 am on the 15th. His burial place is a cemetery in Gwangju Park, Gyeonggi-do.
/Reporter Minji Seo(jisseo@inews24.com)