Kim Boo-kyum: “A father of Korea people want to rely on” ... pays respects to late Choi Bool-am

[Financial News] Former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum paid tribute to the late actor Choi Bool-am (whose real name was Choi Young-han), remembering him as “the father of Korea.”
On the 30th, former Prime Minister Kim visited the late actor’s wake at the funeral hall of Asan Medical Center in Songpa-gu, Seoul, and offered his condolences to the bereaved family. After paying his respects, he told reporters that, during his time as minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, he worked with ChildFund Korea on programs for young people and often spoke with the deceased.
Kim described the deceased as a symbol of the Korean people who gave them courage during the industrialization era. He added, “I think of him as a father of Korea people want to rely on, because he quietly did his work in his place.”
The two also attended an event marking the 70th anniversary of ChildFund Korea, held at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul in May 2018. At the time, Kim was minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, while Choi attended as the foundation’s national supporters’ association chair.
The deceased became involved with ChildFund in 1981 and was appointed national supporters’ association chair in 1985. For many years, he devoted himself to supporting children in Korea and abroad and to charitable giving.
Choi Bool-am won viewers’ affection for his roles as Chief Park Young-han in Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC)’s Chief Detective and Mr. Kim of Yangchon-ri in Country Diaries. From 2011 through last year, he hosted Korean Cuisine and Dining on KBS 1TV, sharing food from across the country and the stories of the people behind it.
The deceased died on the 29th while receiving inpatient treatment at a hospital in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. He was 87. A five-day funeral will be held under the auspices of ChildFund Korea.
The funeral procession is scheduled to depart at around 7:40 a.m. on November 2. A funeral Mass will be held at Yeouido Catholic Church in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, at around 9 a.m. that day, followed by a farewell at ChildFund Korea headquarters at around 10:40 a.m. His final resting place will be Donghwa Gyeongmo Park in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.


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