Kim Jong Un sends flowers to South Korea to mourn former first lady

North Korean leader's sister hands bouquet and letter over at border

Kim Yo Jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister, left, visits Panmumjom on June 12. (Photo courtesy of Unification Ministry of South Korea)

KIM JAEWON, Nikkei staff writer

June 12, 2019 19:29 JST

SEOUL -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a letter and flowers to South Korea Wednesday to express his condolences to the family of former First Lady Lee Hee-ho who passed away earlier in the week.

Lee's late husband, Kim Dae-jung, was South Korea's president between 1998 and 2003. A women's rights activist, Lee had been chair of the Kim Dae Jung Peace Center since 2009 after her husband's death. She died of natural causes on Monday night.