President Park Geun-hye bade farewell to former President Kim Young-sam on Thursday ahead of the state funeral at the National Assembly.
"I pray once again for the soul" of the late Kim as she held the hands of Kim's son at Seoul National University Hospital. Kim's son expressed thanks to Park for taking care of the funeral.
Park later watched the hearse carrying Kim's body depart to the National Assembly and bowed her head slightly.
Still, she did not attend the state funeral on the grounds of the National Assembly in freezing temperatures due to ill health.
Park has developed a high fever and cold symptoms following her recent three-nation swing to attend a string of annual summits with regional leaders.
Park's physician recommended that Park should refrain from outside activity, citing concerns about her health ahead of upcoming overseas trips, Kim Sung-woo, chief presidential press secretary, told reporters.
It marked the second time Park has visited the hospital to offer her condolences to Kim's bereaved family.
Park visited the hospital in Seoul on Monday, hours after she returned from the trip.
Park also plans to leave for France this weekend to attend a crucial climate change conference. The seven-day trip, set to begin Sunday, will also take her to Prague for a summit with the leaders of the Visegrad Group countries -- the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.
In 1979, Kim, then an opposition chief, visited Cheong Wa Dae, South Korea's presidential office, to offer condolences to the bereaved family of President Park Chung-hee -- the late father of the current leader -- ahead of the funeral ceremony.
The senior Park seized power in a military coup in 1961 and ruled the country until 1979 when he was assassinated by his intelligence chief.

Source: YONHAP.