S Korean shock at Roh's 'suicide' 卢武铉今晨登山时坠亡
South Koreans have expressed deep shock at the apparent suicide of former president Roh Moo-hyun, who was under investigation for alleged corruption.
Mr Roh, 62, was killed in a fall from a mountain near his home. His spokesman said he had left a brief suicide note.
President Lee Myung-bak said the news was truly unbelievable and deeply sad.
Mr Roh apologised last month over allegations his family took $6m in bribes during his 2003-2008 term in office, but never admitted wrongdoing.
He came from a humble farming family, but rose to the highest office on a platform of clean government and reconciliation with the North.
'Pressure'
Mr Roh's body was taken in convoy from a hospital in the southern city of Busan on Saturday afternoon to his hometown of Gimhae, where aides said the funeral would be held. Hundreds of uniformed police and mourners lined the route.
Scores of people also gathered outside Deoksu Palace in the centre of the capital, Seoul. Many laid flowers in front of pictures of Mr Roh and burnt incense.
"This is a truly unbelievable, lamentable and deeply sad event," President Lee Myung-bak, Mr Roh's successor, said in a statement.
Mr Roh's predecessor, Kim Dae-Jung, said he had lost his "life-long companion, with whom I took part in struggles for democracy and shared 10 years of a democratic government".
"Allegations concerning his family members have been leaked to the press every day," Mr Kim said. "He was probably unable to bear the pressure and tensions any longer. My heart goes out to his family."
" I can't imagine the countless agonies down the road. The rest of my life would only be a burden for others. I can't do anything because I'm not healthy. I can't read books, nor can I write. Don't be too sad. Isn't life and death all part of nature? Don't be sorry. Don't blame anybody. It's fate. Please cremate me. And please leave a small tombstone near home. I've long thought about that. "
Suicide note left by Roh Moo-hyun Source: Yonhap news agency
In a statement read live on national radio and television earlier on Saturday, Mr Roh's former chief of staff, Moon Jae-in, said he had left his house at 0545 (2045 GMT on Friday) and about an hour later, while hiking on Bonghwa Mountain, jumped to his death.
The former president fell 20-30m (65-100ft) and was later transported to Busan National University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival at 0830 local time (2330 GMT). He suffered massive head injuries.
In a short suicide note addressed to his family, Mr Roh described his life as "difficult" and apologised for making "too many people suffer".
"Don't be too sad. Isn't life and death all part of nature? Don't be sorry," the official news agency, Yonhap, quoted the note as saying.
"Please cremate me. And please leave a small tombstone near home. I've long thought about that."
Investigators are still examining the scene, but the BBC's John Sudworth in Seoul says it already seems clear that one of South Korea's best known politicians took his own life.
Bribery allegations
A human rights lawyer, Mr Roh took office in 2003 vowing to fight corruption, but correspondents say his term was a roller coaster ride, with his Uri party hit by scandal and infighting.
ROH MOO-HYUN
•2003 - elected president
•2004 - suspended by MPs, then reinstated by court
•2008 - leaves office
•Apr 2009 - quizzed for alleged bribery
•23 May 2009 - dies while mountain climbing
He was suspended early in 2004, after parliament voted to impeach him over a breach of election rules, but the Constitutional Court later overturned the move and he was reinstated.
Last month, Mr Roh was questioned over allegations that he had taken more than $6m in bribes from a wealthy shoe manufacturer, Park Yeon-cha, who was indicted in December on separate bribery and tax evasion charges.
The former president later apologised for the scandal.
"I feel ashamed before my fellow citizens. I am sorry for disappointing you," he said in a televised statement on 30 April.
Mr Roh admitted his wife had received $1m from Mr Park. However, he said it was a payment to help her settle a debt, and not a bribe.
He also said he was aware that the businessman had given another $5m to a relative, but that he thought it was an investment.
After Mr Roh's death was announced on Saturday, Justice Minister Kim Kyung-han said the corruption case against him would be formally closed. However, he did not say whether the former president's family would continue to be investigated.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/8065101.stm
former
D.J.['fɔ:mə]
K.K.['fɔrmɚ]
adj.
过去的, 在前的, 以前的
alleged
D.J.[ə'ledʒd]
K.K.[ə'lɛdʒd, ə'lɛdʒɪd]
adj.
声称的,所谓的
spokesman
D.J.['spəuksmən]
K.K.['spoksmən]
n.
发言人, 代言人
allegation
D.J.[,ælɪ'geɪʃən]
K.K.[,ælɪ'ɡeʃən]
n.
陈述, 宣称, 辩解;陈词
wrongdoing
['rɔŋ'du:iŋ]
n.
坏事,不道德行为
reconciliation
D.J.[,rekənsili'eiʃən]
K.K.[,rɛkən,sɪli'eʃən]
n.
1 和解, 调和; 一致; 勉强接受
2 (争吵等的)止息; 和解
funeral
D.J.['fju:nərəl]
K.K.['fjunərəl]
n.
葬礼, 丧礼
uniformed
D.J.['ju:nɪfɔ:md]
K.K.['junə,fɔrmd]
adj.
穿制服的
lamentable
D.J.[lə'mentəbəl, 'læmən-]
K.K.[lə'mɛntəbəl, 'læmən-]
adj.
可悲的,令人惋惜的
agony
D.J.['æɡəni]
K.K.['æɡəni]
n.
极大的痛苦
tombstone
D.J.['tu:m,stəʊn]
K.K.['tum,ston]
n.
墓碑
correspondent
D.J.[,kɔris'pɔndənt]
K.K.[,kɔrɪ'spɑndənt, ,kɑr-]
n.
1 通讯员, 记者
2 通信者
roller coaster
过山车
elect
D.J.[i'lekt]
K.K.[ɪ'lɛkt]
vt.
1 (进行)选举, 推举
2 选择, 决定(做某事)
reinstate
D.J.[,ri:ɪn'steɪt]
K.K.[,riɪn'stet]
vt.
使恢复原职;使恢复原有权利
bribery
D.J.['braibəri]
K.K.['braɪbəri]
n.
行贿,受贿,贿赂
impeach
D.J.[ɪm'pi:tʃ]
K.K.[ɪm'pitʃ]
vt.
1 控告(某人)犯罪, 弹劾
2 对(某事物)怀疑, 提出异议
evasion
D.J.[ɪ'veɪʒən]
K.K.[ɪ'veʒən]
n.
1 逃避, 回避, 躲避
2 遁辞, 借口
settle a debt
结清债务;结算债务
卢武铉今晨登山时坠亡
据新华社首尔今日电 （记者姬新龙）韩国媒体今天上午援引警方消息报道，韩国前总统卢武铉清晨在登山时坠落山下，被送到医院后不治身亡。
媒体报道说，韩国庆尚南道警方说，卢武铉当天上午6时40分至50分许（北京时间5时40分至50分）与一名秘书一起登山时，从山上坠落，头部重伤，被送到医院后不治身亡。警方正进一步调查，以查清卢武铉坠落是意外失足还是企图自杀。
卢武铉的前秘书室室长文在寅说，卢武铉是自己从山上跳下的，他在死前留了遗书。
韩国前总统卢武铉
1946年8月6日，出生于韩国庆尚南道金海市的一个农民家庭
1966年，毕业于韩国釜山商业高等学校
1975年，靠自学通过司法考试
1977年，任大田市地方法院法官
2003年2月25日，就任韩国总统
2008年2月25日，卸任韩国总统
2008年12月，韩国制鞋企业泰光实业公司老板朴渊次因涉嫌逃税和行贿被捕，随后拖带出多名韩国高官涉嫌受贿案，卢武铉是其中之一，2009年4月30日，卢武铉从老家来到首尔，以"综合受贿罪嫌疑人"的身份接受中央调查部的调查。成为继卢泰愚、全斗焕之后，第三位受到检方调查的韩国前总统
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