Mourners stream into Roh's hometown

(ATTN: UPDATES with mourners in Seoul at bottom, minor edits)
GIMHAE/SEOUL, South Korea, May 24 (Yonhap) -- A steady stream of mourners, from
everyday citizens to politicians, paid their respects to the late former
President Roh Moo-hyun on Sunday in his rural hometown.

Roh, who served as the country's president from 2003 to 2008, jumped off a cliff
while hiking behind his home in Bongha Village, about 450 km south of Seoul,
early Saturday. After being declared dead at a nearby university hospital, his
body was moved to his hometown later in the day.
More than 10,000 people have paid their respects to the late president since
Saturday, and more were pouring into the village Sunday.
As the crowd grew, some people said they had walked several kilometers to enter
the village while others said they waited in line for over an hour.
The Roh family was planning to set up a larger funeral hall as a flood of
mourners is expected to arrive in the days to come.
"Please rest in peace," read one remark in a guest book. "We pray for your
happiness," said another.
Roh Gun-pyeong, the former president's older brother who was recently convicted
in a high-profile influence-peddling case, also arrived to pay his respects. He
was granted a provisional release from prison.
He did not respond to reporters' requests for comment.
In a suicide note found on his computer, Roh told his family to cremate him and
set up only a small tombstone near his home.
In Seoul, mourners flooded make-shift altars set up at temples, in front of a
royal palace and other areas to pay tribute to the late president.
Hundreds were queuing up to place flowers at an altar placed in front of Deoksu
Palace in central Seoul. The altar, prepared privately by Roh's supporters on
Saturday, has been surrounded by riot police in case memorial gatherings by angry
Roh supporters turn into anti-government demonstrations.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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