Yu Wi-jin, founder and director of Jean Art Gallery, died of a heart attack on Sunday, at the age of 79.

Established in 1972, Jean Art Gallery is one of the nation’s first commercial galleries that opened in the 1970s along with Gallery Hyundai and Joseon Gallery.

In 1984, it took a pioneering step as the first Korean gallery to participate in FIAC, one of the biggest art fairs in the world.

Yu made great efforts to promote Korean contemporary artists in other countries throughout her career.

She held many exhibitions in Japan to introduce Korean artists there and actively participated in various international art events such as Art L.A., the Melbourne Art Fair and Tokyo Art Expo.

Yu is survived by her son, Yu Jae-eung, executive director of the Jean Art Gallery.