ID :
62022
Sat, 05/23/2009 - 22:58
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/62022
The shortlink copeid
S. Koreans mourn death of former President Roh Moo-hyun
By Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- South Koreans mourned the death of former President Roh
Moo-hyun Saturday, major Web portals filling up within hours with tens of
thousands of posts expressing grief and astonishment.
Roh, who served as the country's president from 2003 to 2008, was confirmed dead
Saturday morning. He and his family had been under investigation in a bribery
scandal that had tarnished the image he built by vowing to run a clean
government. He is believed to have committed suicide by jumping from a mountain
near his home in Bonghwa Village, some 450 kilometers south of Seoul.
"I have tears in my eyes," said 28-year-old office worker Shin Ha-young. "I can't
believe he has really left us. I keep wondering whether we were too harsh on him,
too eager to believe he took the money and disappointed us."
"I hope he didn't suffer too much," said housewife Park Gi-young. "It wasn't as
if he committed a crime that called for the death penalty. I am sad that he was
led to make an extreme decision due to outside pressure."
Becoming the third former South Korean president to be summoned and questioned by
prosecutors for alleged corruption, Roh has been accused of receiving at least
US$6 million from a businessman, payments that allegedly went to his wife, his
son and his brother's son-in-law. The 62-year-old former head of state had denied
personal ties to the scandal, claiming he did not know about the transactions
until after he retired.
"I think the former president lost the will to live after his sense of moral
superiority was hurt by the scandal," said Lee Jae-hoon, 32. "But he still was an
important icon of Korean democracy. I wish he had given more thoughts to the
people still counting on him before making the decision.
"I'd still like to believe it wasn't suicide," said college student Kim
Tae-hyeon. "If he did kill himself, the prosecution and the media should really
think about whether they played a role in his death."
Local Web portal Daum.net filled up with more than 15,000 posts less than three
hours after Roh's death was confirmed by police, many calling the ex-president a
"brave man" and a "victim of the era."
"A bright star has fallen from the Korean political arena," said Internet user
"Haedami."
"I still remember his smile. I miss him already. May his soul rest in peace,"
said "Sugarbaby 666."
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- South Koreans mourned the death of former President Roh
Moo-hyun Saturday, major Web portals filling up within hours with tens of
thousands of posts expressing grief and astonishment.
Roh, who served as the country's president from 2003 to 2008, was confirmed dead
Saturday morning. He and his family had been under investigation in a bribery
scandal that had tarnished the image he built by vowing to run a clean
government. He is believed to have committed suicide by jumping from a mountain
near his home in Bonghwa Village, some 450 kilometers south of Seoul.
"I have tears in my eyes," said 28-year-old office worker Shin Ha-young. "I can't
believe he has really left us. I keep wondering whether we were too harsh on him,
too eager to believe he took the money and disappointed us."
"I hope he didn't suffer too much," said housewife Park Gi-young. "It wasn't as
if he committed a crime that called for the death penalty. I am sad that he was
led to make an extreme decision due to outside pressure."
Becoming the third former South Korean president to be summoned and questioned by
prosecutors for alleged corruption, Roh has been accused of receiving at least
US$6 million from a businessman, payments that allegedly went to his wife, his
son and his brother's son-in-law. The 62-year-old former head of state had denied
personal ties to the scandal, claiming he did not know about the transactions
until after he retired.
"I think the former president lost the will to live after his sense of moral
superiority was hurt by the scandal," said Lee Jae-hoon, 32. "But he still was an
important icon of Korean democracy. I wish he had given more thoughts to the
people still counting on him before making the decision.
"I'd still like to believe it wasn't suicide," said college student Kim
Tae-hyeon. "If he did kill himself, the prosecution and the media should really
think about whether they played a role in his death."
Local Web portal Daum.net filled up with more than 15,000 posts less than three
hours after Roh's death was confirmed by police, many calling the ex-president a
"brave man" and a "victim of the era."
"A bright star has fallen from the Korean political arena," said Internet user
"Haedami."
"I still remember his smile. I miss him already. May his soul rest in peace,"
said "Sugarbaby 666."
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)
