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S.Koreans bid farewell to ex-president Roh

(Xinhua/Agencies)
Updated: 2009-05-29 11:13

A guard of honor covers the coffin of deceased former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun with a national flag at Roh's hometown Bonghwa village in Gimhae, about 450 km (280 miles) southeast of Seoul, May 29, 2009. The public funeral of Roh was held at Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul on Friday. [Xinhua]

SEOUL -- Former S. Korean president Roh's hearse, along with some 1,000 people, left his home in Bongha Village early in the morning Friday for the funeral scheduled later in the day in Seoul.

Related readings:  SKorea to host funeral for Roh on Friday  ROK police brace for ex-president's funeral  Roh's suicide puts South Korean president in corner  Roh changed politics, but let down public  Death fails to kill Roh's popularity   South Korea plans public funeral for ex-leader Roh

After having a one-hour-long traditional departure ceremony in Bongha, the late president's funeral car left his hometown at around local time 06:00 (2100 GMT Thursday), with around 20,000 people gathered to see off the ex-president.

The funeral ceremony in Seoul, held as a "people's funeral," will be attended by some 2,500, including President Lee Myung-bak, and diplomats in Seoul as well as ordinary citizens.

Earlier in the day, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited the altar in tribute of Roh, set up in the South Korean Embassy in Washington D.C, praising his dedication to democracy and rights.

Since Roh's death by jumping off a rock last week, nearly 1 million mourners have made the pilgrimage to the ex-president's hometown Bongha as of Friday morning.

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