Lee pays respects to late independence fighter, scholar

SEOUL, June 9 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak paid his respects Thursday to a late independence fighter and scholar who served as head of Korea University, lauding him as "one of the most respectable people of our era," the presidential spokesman said.
Kim Jun-yop, who died of old age at 90 on Tuesday, was known for unbending moral principles as a scholar in the face of authoritarian governments.



A former independence fighter, Kim specialized in Chinese studies and taught at Seoul's Korea University from 1958. He rose to become president of the university in 1982, but was ousted in 1985 for refusing to cooperate with the then military-backed, authoritarian government.
On Thursday, President Lee offered flowers and incense to Kim at a hospital in Seoul.
"One of the most respectable people of our era has passed away. The deceased was a truly great person," Lee wrote in the guestbook, according to presidential spokesman Hong Sang-pyo.
Lee also posthumously conferred the Mugunghwa Medal, the highest Order of Civil Merit, on Kim.
jschang@yna.co.kr