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May 23, 2009
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Scandal plagued former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun leapt from a mountain’s rocky outcropping yesterday, ending his life but not the questions left behind. He was 62. “Roh appeared to have jumped off a mountain around 6:40 a.m.,” said Moon Jae-in, who served as Roh’s presidential chief of staff. “He left a short note to his family.” Roh’s note was left on his computer, and one of his aides discovered it after the incident, police said. The note was created at 5:21 a.m., shortly before Roh left home for the last time, police said. "I was a burden to too many people. So many people have suffered greatly because of me. I cannot even imagine how much more sufferings will come,” Roh wrote. “The rest of my life will only be a burden to others. Because my health has worsened, I can’t do anything. I can’t even read a book. “Don’t be too sad. Life and death are all a part of nature,” Roh wrote. “Don’t be sorry. Don’t blame anyone. This is fate.” The former president asked his family to cremate his body and to erect a small tombstone near his house. “I have thought about this for a long time,” he wrote. Both the South Gyeongsang Provincial Police Agency and Moon said that Roh had been climbing the mountain near his home at the Bongha Village with one of his aides when he jumped. Unconscious with a head injury, Roh was rushed to a hospital in Gimhae. From there, the former president was sent to Pusan University Hospital in Yangsan, where doctors were unable to revive him, police said. Roh was pronounced dead around 9:30 a.m., Yangsan Hospital reported. Head trauma was identified as the main cause of death. Roh, his wife, and children have been under intense pressure from prosecutors investigating bribery by Park Yeon-cha, a Busan-based businessman and close Roh confederate. Prosecutors said the investigation into the Roh family will be halted at least temporarily, including the planned questioning of Kwon Yang-sook, Roh’s wife. The Blue House expressed grief over the former president’s death. “President Lee Myung-bak was briefed about Roh’s fall around 7:20 a.m.,” Lee Dong-kwan, the president’s spokesman, said. “Lee could not hide his shock, but he immediately ordered fast medical measures for the former president.” According to his spokesman, President Lee expressed deep condolences to Roh’s family. The president also ordered his staff to make sure that the government pays proper respect to the former president. A native of Gimhae, South Gyeongsang, Roh served as Korea’s president from 2003 to 2008. He had been a human rights attorney since 1978 and began his political career a decade later after winning a National Assembly seat from Busan. He faced legislative impeachment in 2004, but the Constitutional Court rejected the move, allowing him to complete his presidency. Roh’s family had been accused of accepting at least $6 million from self-declared influence peddler Park. “I have no face to show to the people. I am sorry that I disappointed you,” a distraught Roh said in late April before being questioned by prosecutors. By Ser Myo-ja [myoja@joongang.co.kr] Related stories |
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