Ex-President Kim Young-sam’s funeral takes place

President Park Geun-hye greets the late former president Kim Young-sam’s son Kim Hyun-chul in front of the car carrying the coffin at the Seoul National University Hospital, Thursday. (Yonhap)

The funeral for former President Kim Young-sam began at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul at 2 p.m. today.

Over 10,000 mourners attended including Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, the head of the funeral committee, government officials, business representatives and foreign ambassadors and envoys.

President Park Geun-hye partially attended the ceremony, paying her last respects at the hospital. Park is suffering from a cold and fatigue, Cheong Wa Dae said.

Park canceled a congratulatory address she was scheduled to deliver at the Creative Economy Expo’s opening ceremony today.

Cheong Wa Dae cited the president’s hectic schedule last week, when Park attended multilateral summits in three countries and is scheduled to go on a trip to Paris.

Guards of honor and bereaved family members take part in a practice ceremony for the state funeral of the late former president Kim Young-sam at the Seoul National University Hospital, Thursday. (Yonhap)

Starting at 1:25 p.m., the late president’s coffin was carried from the Seoul National University Hospital passing by Gwanghwamun and on to the National Assembly. After the funeral, the coffin will stop by at the late president’s house in Sangdo-dong before it is buried at the National Cemetery.

The route represents the life path of the late president, from the hospital he spent his final moments, to Cheong Wa Dae, where he served his term as president and the National Assembly where he worked as a lawmaker.

The state funeral started with a Protestant ceremony, followed by others conducted in Buddhist, Catholic and Won Buddhism traditions.

Roads from the Seoul National University Hospital through to the Mapo Bridge, the National Assembly and the National Cemetery will be controlled through 4:30 p.m.