Korean Ambassador to China pays respects to late leader

Korean Ambassador to China Chung Jae-ho visited a mourning altar in Beijing to pay his respects to former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin, the embassy said Thursday.

Jiang died the previous day at age 96 after suffering from leukemia, according to foreign media reports. He was the first Chinese leader to visit South Korea in November 1995.

A funeral committee for Jiang earlier announced that “foreign governments, political parties and friendly personages” will not be invited to send delegations to China to attend the mourning activities in accordance with China’s practices.