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.
People follow a hearse (not pictured) carrying a coffin containing body of deceased former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun at Roh's hometown Bonghwa village in Gimhae, about 450 km (280 miles) southeast of Seoul, May 29, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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.
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 is to be held at Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul on Friday. (Xinhua/Newsis Photo)
Earlier in the day, U.S. 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.
A guard of honor carrying the picture of deceased former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun departs from Roh's hometown Bonghwa village in Gimhae for the public funeral to be held in Seoul, May 29, 2009. The public funeral of Roh is to be held at Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul on Friday. (Xinhua/Newsis)
A woman holds a candle to mourn for deceased former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun in front of riot police near his memorial altar arranged by citizens in Seoul May 29, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Source: Xinhua
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