Thousands mourn former Korean president

Mourners in black, heads bowed and shedding tears, gathered in the courtyard of an ancient palace in Seoul for the funeral of ex-president Roh Moo-hyun, nearly a week after he leaped to his death while being investigated for corruption.

Tens of thousands more filled the streets of the South Korean capital and a plaza to watch the funeral on large monitors as riot police sought to prevent any protests by Roh supporters who accuse his conservative political opponents of hounding the liberal ex-leader to his death.

Mr Roh, 62, died on May 23 after throwing himself off a cliff behind his home in the southern village of Bongha. Mr Roh, president from 2003 to 2008, had been questioned about claims he and his family accepted around €4.3m in bribes during his presidency.

He denied the allegations, but the accusations weighed heavily on a man who prided himself on his record as a “clean” politician in a country struggling to shake a tradition of corruption.

The suicide stunned the nation of 49 million, where the outspoken Mr Roh – who rose from humble roots – was known as a leader for the people and was a favourite among young South Koreans.

Though many were critical of his anti-establishment ways, others rallied around his efforts to promote democracy, fight corruption and allow rapprochement with North Korea.

His death has focused anger on President Lee Myung-bak, the conservative who succeeded him last year, whose administration supporters accuse of pushing the probe in what a Roh aide called “political revenge”.

As Mr Lee and his wife approached Mr Roh’s portrait to pay their respects, some in the crowd jeered.

The mounting anger comes as Mr Lee faces an increasingly belligerent North Korea, which just two days after Mr Roh’s death carried out a nuclear test in a move widely condemned as a violation of international law.