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| Koreans turn out in force for Roh | Koreans turn out in force for Roh |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Tens of thousands of South Koreans have turned out in Seoul for the funeral of former President Roh Moo-hyun, who killed himself last week. | Tens of thousands of South Koreans have turned out in Seoul for the funeral of former President Roh Moo-hyun, who killed himself last week. |
| Top officials attended the ceremony, while huge crowds filled the streets. | Top officials attended the ceremony, while huge crowds filled the streets. |
| Mr Roh dedicated himself to democracy and he would not be forgotten, PM Han Seung-soo said in a eulogy. | Mr Roh dedicated himself to democracy and he would not be forgotten, PM Han Seung-soo said in a eulogy. |
| Authorities fear protests and the BBC's Chris Hogg in Seoul says there is a tense stand-off between riot police and protesters near City Hall. | Authorities fear protests and the BBC's Chris Hogg in Seoul says there is a tense stand-off between riot police and protesters near City Hall. |
| href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8073978.stm">Anger amid the tears in Seoul class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/8073220.stm">In pictures: Roh funeral | |
| There is much yelling, some speeches, lots of slogans, but the aggression appears to be mostly rhetorical for now, our correspondent says. Some 15,000 riot police are on stand-by. | There is much yelling, some speeches, lots of slogans, but the aggression appears to be mostly rhetorical for now, our correspondent says. Some 15,000 riot police are on stand-by. |
| Roh Moo-hyun jumped off a cliff last Saturday amid allegations of bribery, which he denied. His death has caused immense shock in South Korea. | Roh Moo-hyun jumped off a cliff last Saturday amid allegations of bribery, which he denied. His death has caused immense shock in South Korea. |
| Mr Roh was president between 2003 and 2008, when his term ended. Current President Lee Myung-bak's Grand National Party won the subsequent election, forcing Mr Roh's Uri party from office. | Mr Roh was president between 2003 and 2008, when his term ended. Current President Lee Myung-bak's Grand National Party won the subsequent election, forcing Mr Roh's Uri party from office. |
| Supporters say Mr Roh was investigated for political reasons and some blame Mr Lee for a probe that they believe drove the former president to suicide, our correspondent says. | Supporters say Mr Roh was investigated for political reasons and some blame Mr Lee for a probe that they believe drove the former president to suicide, our correspondent says. |
| There was booing as Mr Lee laid a flower for his predecessor. | There was booing as Mr Lee laid a flower for his predecessor. |
| 'Hunted by conservatives' | 'Hunted by conservatives' |
| Millions of people have already visited altars around the country to pray for Mr Roh. | Millions of people have already visited altars around the country to pray for Mr Roh. |
| Chris Hogg, BBC News, Seoul | Chris Hogg, BBC News, Seoul |
| Tonight in Seoul, there is a stand-off on the wide avenue near City Hall. | Tonight in Seoul, there is a stand-off on the wide avenue near City Hall. |
| On one side, there are ranks of riot police in their black uniforms and two mobile water cannon with red flashing lights cutting through the darkness in wide sweeps. | On one side, there are ranks of riot police in their black uniforms and two mobile water cannon with red flashing lights cutting through the darkness in wide sweeps. |
| On the other side are the protesters. Earlier, they had been mourners. Now, many hours after the funeral has finished, they are refusing to leave. | On the other side are the protesters. Earlier, they had been mourners. Now, many hours after the funeral has finished, they are refusing to leave. |
| There is much yelling. Some speeches, lots of slogans, but the aggression appears to be mostly rhetorical for now. | There is much yelling. Some speeches, lots of slogans, but the aggression appears to be mostly rhetorical for now. |
| Whether that will change as the bars in the downtown district empty later on is not clear. | Whether that will change as the bars in the downtown district empty later on is not clear. |
| Early on Friday the funeral procession left Bongha, the village to which he retired, for the journey to Seoul. | Early on Friday the funeral procession left Bongha, the village to which he retired, for the journey to Seoul. |
| As the hearse arrived in the capital, tens of thousands of supporters wearing yellow - his campaign colour - lined the streets. | As the hearse arrived in the capital, tens of thousands of supporters wearing yellow - his campaign colour - lined the streets. |
| The funeral was held at a former palace. Delivering the eulogy, Mr Han said Mr Roh had "spent his life fighting for human rights, democracy and the end of authoritarianism". | The funeral was held at a former palace. Delivering the eulogy, Mr Han said Mr Roh had "spent his life fighting for human rights, democracy and the end of authoritarianism". |
| "We will strive to follow your last wishes for reconciliation, unity and a better nation," he said. | "We will strive to follow your last wishes for reconciliation, unity and a better nation," he said. |
| Crowds watched the service on a huge television screen. Then a public memorial rite was held at a grassy plaza outside City Hall. | Crowds watched the service on a huge television screen. Then a public memorial rite was held at a grassy plaza outside City Hall. |
| "I am so sad. He was a president of the common people," Gum Young-Don, a 32-year-old accountant, told AFP news agency. | "I am so sad. He was a president of the common people," Gum Young-Don, a 32-year-old accountant, told AFP news agency. |
| "Even if I did not support all his policies... he made great efforts to take care of the underprivileged and destroy authoritarianism in every corner of government." | "Even if I did not support all his policies... he made great efforts to take care of the underprivileged and destroy authoritarianism in every corner of government." |
| "I think the former president was hunted by conservatives," said another mourner, housewife Lee Ae-ran. | "I think the former president was hunted by conservatives," said another mourner, housewife Lee Ae-ran. |
| Mr Roh's body will be cremated and his ashes taken back to Bongha. | Mr Roh's body will be cremated and his ashes taken back to Bongha. |
| ROH MOO-HYUN 2003 - elected president2004 - suspended by MPs, then reinstated by court2008 - leaves officeApr 2009 - quizzed for alleged bribery 23 May 2009 - dies while mountain climbing Obituary: Roh Moo-hyun | ROH MOO-HYUN 2003 - elected president2004 - suspended by MPs, then reinstated by court2008 - leaves officeApr 2009 - quizzed for alleged bribery 23 May 2009 - dies while mountain climbing Obituary: Roh Moo-hyun |
| Mr Roh - a human rights lawyer - came from a humble farming family but rose to the highest office on a platform of clean government and reconciliation with North Korea. | Mr Roh - a human rights lawyer - came from a humble farming family but rose to the highest office on a platform of clean government and reconciliation with North Korea. |
| Last month, he 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. | Last month, he 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. But last Saturday he threw himself from a mountain near his home after leaving a suicide note. | The former president later apologised for the scandal. But last Saturday he threw himself from a mountain near his home after leaving a suicide note. |