ID :
62145
Sun, 05/24/2009 - 18:20
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/62145
The shortlink copeid
Over 100,000 mourners stream into Roh's hometown
GIMHAE/SEOUL, South Korea, May 24 (Yonhap) -- Over 100,000 mourners, from ordinary citizens to high-ranking politicians, visited former President Roh Moo-hyun's rural hometown Sunday to pay their respects to the late head of state who died a day earlier.
Roh, who served as the country's president from 2003 to 2008, jumped off a cliff
early Saturday while hiking behind his home in Bongha Village, about 450 km south
of Seoul. After being declared dead at a nearby university hospital, his body was
moved to his hometown later in the day.
Some 130,000 people have paid their respects to the late president since a
memorial altar was set up near his retirement home Saturday, while city officials
said as many as 80,000 others may have gone uncounted.
As the crowd grew, some said they walked several kilometers to enter the village
while others said they waited in line for over an hour to pay their respects.
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. The
elder Roh, who was granted a provisional release from prison, did not respond to
reporters' requests for comment.
In a suicide note found on his computer, Roh requested that his family cremate
him and that a small tombstone be erected near his home.
In Seoul, mourners flooded make-shift altars set up at temples, in front of a
royal palace and other areas around the city 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.
Roh, who served as the country's president from 2003 to 2008, jumped off a cliff
early Saturday while hiking behind his home in Bongha Village, about 450 km south
of Seoul. After being declared dead at a nearby university hospital, his body was
moved to his hometown later in the day.
Some 130,000 people have paid their respects to the late president since a
memorial altar was set up near his retirement home Saturday, while city officials
said as many as 80,000 others may have gone uncounted.
As the crowd grew, some said they walked several kilometers to enter the village
while others said they waited in line for over an hour to pay their respects.
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. The
elder Roh, who was granted a provisional release from prison, did not respond to
reporters' requests for comment.
In a suicide note found on his computer, Roh requested that his family cremate
him and that a small tombstone be erected near his home.
In Seoul, mourners flooded make-shift altars set up at temples, in front of a
royal palace and other areas around the city 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.
