S. Korea to bid farewell to late former President Kim Dae-jung

SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- The state funeral for late former president Kim Dae-jung will be held at the nation's parliament Sunday afternoon with some 24,000 politicians, citizens and foreign delegates invited to the ceremony.

People pay respects to South Korean late president Kim Dae-jung in Seoul, capital of South Korea, Aug. 22, 2009. The state funeral for the late president will take place at 2 p.m. (0500 GMT) on Aug. 23, after a six-day mourning period. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)

The service, scheduled to start at 02:00 p.m. (0500 GMT), will mark the second "state funeral" held in the nation, following that of former President Park Chung-hee.

A state funeral is the highest form of tributes given in the nation, for which the government covers the full expense.

Late Kim died of pneumonia-related complications on Tuesday after he was admitted to a Seoul hospital on July 13.

The funeral comes after a six-day mourning period, during which praise and condolence for the late president flooded in and out of the country.

President Lee Myung-bak, paying a condolatory visit to Kim, called him a "great political leader."

"His work and desire for democracy and national reconciliation will be remembered by the people for years to come," Lee was quoted as saying.