More than 10,000 people, including retired politicians and business moguls, have visited a hospital in Seoul over three days to offer condolences for the death of former President Kim Young-sam.
  

Kim, an iconic figure of the pro-democracy movement who ended decades of military rule in South Korea with his presidency from 1993 to 1998, passed away Sunday at Seoul National University Hospital. He was 87.
  

A total of 12,900 people, including incumbent and former politicians, as well as heads of major business groups, had visited the hospital as of 10:00 a.m. Tuesday.
  

Sohn Kyung-sik, chairman of the country's leading food and entertainment conglomerate CJ, mourned the death of an icon of democracy.
  

"Kim was a great leader adopting democracy in our country," Sohn told reporters, adding that he is in a better place now.
  

Former Prime Ministers Lee Hong-gu and Kim Soo-han also paid their respects at the president's memorial hall.
  

Additionally, nearly 20,000 citizens visited 188 altars across the country, including the main one at the National Assembly building, to pay their respects to the late president.
  

The government set up altars across the country as part of a five-day mourning period before holding a state funeral for Kim on Thursday.
  

The funeral ceremony is slated to be held at 2:00 p.m., with President Park Geun-hye, high-level politicians and foreign delegates in attendance at a plaza in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, central Seoul.
  

Kim will then be laid to rest at Seoul National Cemetery in the southern part of the capital.
  

Kim fought against military rulers for decades and laid the groundwork for a peaceful power transition in a country rife with military coups. (Yonhap)