Former South Korean president commits suicide
Roh Moo-Hyun, former South Korean President, committed suicide Saturday. Roh jumped to his death from a 100-foot hillside behind his house, according to a Korean news agency. He was 62.
The news source said Roh left a suicide note for his family. After leaving to go hiking early Saturday morning, he was later found with head injuries and died after being taken to a hospital.
Roh’s death came amid an investigation into a bribery scandal that had, reportedly, tarnished his reputation. Allegedly, Roh and his family had received $6 million in bribes from a businessman. Roh, however, said he learned of the payments only after he left office and that some were legitimate investments.
Roh, born to a farming family in a small village, never attended university. He studied on his own to become a judge and then a lawyer, opening his own firm in 1978. He was elected to the General Assembly in 1988 and later, in 2002, served as minister of maritime affairs.
He served as South Korea’s president from 2003 to 2008.
[photo: Getty Images]
Tags: Roh Moo-Hyun, South Korea, suicide