Political representatives gathered Monday to commemorate the seventh anniversary of former President Roh Moo-hyun’s death. The ceremony came days after the leaders had gathered to commemorate the May 18 democratic uprising and amid simmering political rivalry among parties entering the next parliamentary term.

It was The Minjoo Party of Korea, the home camp of the deceased liberal president, which took a leading role in the day’s event, while the ruling conservative Saenuri Party and the runner-up opposition People’s Party paid their respects as guests.

“Let us look back on whether we are abiding by the will of the two former presidents who fought their way till the end to defend democracy,” said the Minjoo’s senior advisor Kim Won-ki, in his memorial address.

The former parliamentary speaker was referring to late Kim Dae-jung and Roh, the two presidents classified as being progressive in South Korea’s political history.

The memorial ceremony was held at Bongha Village in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, where Roh was born in 1946 and where he ended his life in 2009.

Roh, South Korea’s 16th president in 2003-2008, jumped off a mountain cliff on May 23 that year, amid an intensive prosecutorial probe on corruption charges involving his family members.

Attending the event were key members of the main opposition Minjoo Party, including emergency council chief Kim Chong-in, former party chairman Rep. Moon Jae-in and key lawmakers including former Prime Minister Rep. Lee Hae-chan.

The Saenuri was represented by its floor leader Chung Jin-suk and floor spokesperson Min Kyung-wook. The People’s Party co-chiefs Reps. Ahn Cheol-soo and Chun Jung-bae, along with floor leader Rep. Park Jie-won, attended as well.

Cheong Wa Dae sent the senior presidential secretary for political affairs, Hyun Ki-hwan, to offer condolences, speaking for President Park Geun-hye.

The appearance of ranking Saenuri officials has often triggered a backlash from the residents of Bongha, as well as loyalists to Roh, who hold the conservative political powers responsible for his suicide.

“You abused your power to drive a former president to his death, yet you fail to regret it,” Roh’s son Kun-ho had blasted then-Saenuri chief Rep. Kim Moo-sung at last year’s memorial event.

But this year, junior Roh merely expressed his thanks to the attendees.

This pacifist turn largely reflected the growing calls from within the much-divided opposition camp to achieve unity.

“I expect that the Minjoo will greet the guests in a mature manner (at Bongha),” said floor leader Rep. Woo Sang-ho in a radio interview earlier in the morning.

Even after his abrupt death, Roh remained a contentious figure in the opposition bloc.

His affiliation with the Gyeongsang region, together with his disapproval of regionalism, led to conflicts with the party’s conventional powers, most of them based in the Jeolla area.

It was the non-Roh group that broke away late last year and established the new opposition People’s Party with Rep. Ahn. Their claim was that the then leadership of Moon Jae-in, still called a Roh loyalist, monopolized power and neglected the opposition party’s longtime stronghold of the Gwangju and Jeolla cluster, dubbed the Honam region.

The Minjoo-turned-People’s Party members, especially party leader Ahn, faced bitter remarks from Roh supporters in Bongha as he arrived at the memorial, with them calling the divide a “betrayal.”

While the Saenuri whip Chung and Blue House official Hyun refrained from speaking at the ceremony, the ruling party focused on the concept of unity.

“We pay our respects to late President Roh who struggled to overcome regionalism and achieve unity in politics,” the party said through a statement earlier in the day.

“The imminent 20th National Assembly should remember his deeds and work only for the sake of the people and nation.”

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)