Former president's grave set ablaze, arson suspected

SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Former President Kim Dae-jung's grave at the National
Cemetery in southern Seoul was found partially burned early Tuesday morning,
police said.

Janitors found parts of the grass beside the grave burnt at about 9:30 in the
morning, according to the police and the Seoul National Cemetery.
"We have yet to determine the exact cause of the fire because the scene was
beyond the reach of CCTV cameras," a cemetery official told Yonhap News Agency.
Police said they suspect arson because they found a leaflet near the scene,
allegedly made by a conservative group, that describes the former president as
pro-communist.
Kim served as president from 1998-2003. In 2000, he held the first-ever
inter-Korean summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and won the Novel Peace
Prize for his efforts to reconcile with North Korea and facilitate democracy in
South Korea. He died last August at age 85 following a prolonged battle with
pneumonia.
Police said they plan to analyze images captured by surveillance cameras
installed around the national cemetery to see if any members of the conservative
group visited the place before the fire broke out.
sshim@yna.co.kr
(END)

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