Vast crowds mourn former president

SEOUL – A sea of mourners, many in tears, filled the streets of Seoul yesterday for the funeral of former president Roh Moo-hyun…

SEOUL – A sea of mourners, many in tears, filled the streets of Seoul yesterday for the funeral of former president Roh Moo-hyun, whose suicide six days ago amid a deepening corruption probe plunged South Korea into grief and anger.

Heads bowed, thousands took part in a solemn ceremony in the courtyard of the 14th-century Gyeongbok Palace before the hearse carrying Mr Roh’s body headed to a plaza outside City Hall for emotional public rites attended by a reported 500,000 people. Even before his body arrived in Seoul on a journey that started 320km away in his rural home town, there was scuffling in the capital between riot police and mourners, who blamed Mr Roh’s successor for the death.

Downtown Seoul was a sea of yellow, a colour associated with Mr Roh, and supporters tied thousands of balloons to police barriers along the funeral route and waved placards reading: “Today condolences, tomorrow anger.” During the funeral, a roar of boos erupted from the crowd as footage appeared of current president Lee Myung-bak on a giant TV screens paying his respects to his predecessor, many of whose liberal policies he has sought to undo. Riot police later moved in as the crush of mourners delayed the hearse leaving the capital. Police sent 21,000 officers to quell any protests by Roh supporters who accuse conservative political opponents led by President Lee of driving the liberal former leader to his death with the bribery investigation. An anti-government rally is planned for this afternoon.

Mr Roh (62) died on May 23rd after throwing himself off a cliff behind his home in the southern village of Bongha leaving a note saying: “The rest of my life would only be a burden for others.”

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President from 2003 to 2008, he had recently been questioned about allegations he and his family accepted millions in bribes during his presidency. He denied the accusations, but they weighed heavily on a man who prided himself on his record as a clean politician in a country struggling to shake a deeply rooted culture of corruption.

The suicide stunned the nation of 49 million, where the outspoken Mr Roh – a self-taught former human rights lawyer who swept into office on a populist tide – was celebrated as a leader for the people and was a favourite among young South Koreans for standing up to Washington. – (AP, Reuters)