South Korean Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik expressed his regrets over the death of top North Korean defector Hwang Jang-yop, saying that he was sorry that South Korea lost a valuable person.

Kim said the late Hwang, the highest-ranking North Korean official ever to defect to South Korea, accurately pointed out the falseness and problems in North Korea and dedicated himself to the democratization, reform and the opening of North Korea. The prime minister also said that the deceased had effectively led North Korean defectors residing in South Korea.

Kim said that the move to award Hwang a posthumous order of honor and to bury him in the Daejeon National Cemetary had been considered carefully and was based on coordination of diverse opinions. Some South Koreans are objecting the government’s decisions.