President Park arrives in Singapore for Lee Kuan Yew's funeral

SINGAPORE, March 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Park Geun-hye arrived in Singapore on Sunday to attend the funeral ceremony of the city state's founder, Lee Kuan Yew.

Park is scheduled to attend the state funeral at 2 p.m. on Sunday and console his bereaved family, including Lee's son, current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, according to the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.

The trip marks the first time for Park to attend a funeral of an overseas political leader since taking office in 2013.

Lee, who died Monday at 91, is credited with transforming the port city into a thriving global finance and trade hub during his 31-year rule.

Park had known Lee personally. In 1979, when her father, then President Park Chung-hee, held talks with Lee in Seoul, Park Geun-hye served as a stand-in first lady. Her mother, Yook Young-su, had been killed in a failed assassination attempt on her father earlier.

The current president also served as an interpreter in a post-summit banquet that her father hosted for the then leader from Singapore.

The junior Park had met Lee on a visit to South Korea in May 2006, and later traveled to Singapore at Lee's invitation in July 2008.

Park is scheduled to arrive back in South Korea early Monday. According to Cheong Wa Dae, Park hasn't set aside time for any formal talks with other leaders visiting Singapore because of the short duration of her trip.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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