国际英语新闻：S. Korean police tentatively conclude ex-president's death as suicide

SEOUL, May 24 (Xinhua) -- South Korean police tentatively concluded Sunday that former President Roh Moo-hyun's death was a suicide by jumping off a cliff.

    In an interim report on the incident, the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency said Roh jumped off a cliff near his hometown, Bongha Village, at 06:45 a.m. Saturday (2145 GMT Friday).

Former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun leaves the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office in Seoul in this May 1, 2009 file photo.

The police conducted an in-depth investigation, such as studying the suicide note on his computer and the site where Roh fell, and interrogating the guard who accompanied him on the late president's last hike, said Lee No-gu, the chief investigator at the Gyeongnam police agency.

    The note, which started being written at 05:21 a.m. Saturday (2021 GMT Friday) and was finalized at 05:44 a.m. (2044 GMT Friday), was found by one of his aides and his family at home, Lee said.

Former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun died of external head injury after falling down a mountain at around local time 09:30 (0030 GMT) on May 23, 2009

As investigators probed into Roh's computer, in the presence of his family, the police found no evidence of manipulation on the suicide note, such as a trace of another person writing the note, Lee told reporters.

    The unidentified guard, who accompanied Roh, was quoted as saying that everything happened so quickly that he could not do anything.

    The police will request the National Institute of Scientific Investigation to further examine the clothing and hiking shoes Roh was wearing, and will question the aide and family members who first found his note, Lee added.

    Former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun was found dead on Saturday after falling down a mountain amid an investigation into a bribery scandal he and his family were involved in.

Supporters of deceased former President Roh Moo-hyun mourn during Roh's funeral service at Roh's hometown Bonghwa village in Gimhae, about 450 km (280 miles) southeast of Seoul, May 24, 2009

Roh's family agreed Sunday to a state-organized funeral, Roh's aide said by telephone from Bongha.

    More than 13,000 mourners have made the pilgrimage to Bongha, which is located near Roh's birthplace, Gimhae, police said. 

Former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun died of external head injury after falling down a mountain at around local time 09:30 (0030 GMT) on May 23, 2009