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He came from a humblefarming family, but rose to the highest office on a platform of cleangovernment and reconciliation with the North.

'Pressure'

Mr Roh's body was taken in convoy from a hospital in the southern cityof Busan on Saturday afternoon to his hometown of Gimhae, where aidessaid the funeral would be held. Hundreds of uniformed police andmourners lined the route.

Scores of people also gathered outside Deoksu Palace in the centre ofthe capital, Seoul. Many laid flowers in front of pictures of Mr Rohand burnt incense.

"This is a truly unbelievable, lamentable and deeplysad event," President Lee Myung-bak, Mr Roh's successor, said in astatement.

Mr Roh's predecessor, Kim Dae-jung, said he had losthis "life-long companion, with whom I took part in struggles fordemocracy and shared 10 years of a democratic government".

"Allegations concerning his family members have beenleaked to the press every day," Mr Kim said. "He was probably unable tobear the pressure and tensions any longer. My heart goes out to hisfamily."

In a statement read live on national radio and television earlier onSaturday, Mr Roh's former chief of staff, Moon Jae-in, said he had lefthis house at 0545 (2045 GMT on Friday) and about an hour later, whilehiking on Bonghwa Mountain, jumped to his death.

The former president fell 20-30m (65-100ft) and waslater transported to Busan National University Hospital, where he waspronounced dead on arrival at 0830 local time (2330 GMT). He sufferedmassive head injuries.

In a short suicide note addressed to his family, Mr Rohdescribed his life as "difficult" and apologised for making "too manypeople suffer".

"Don't be too sad. Isn't life and death all part ofnature? Don't be sorry," the official news agency, Yonhap, quoted thenote as saying.

"Please cremate me. And please leave a small tombstone near home. I've long thought about that."

Investigators are still examining the scene, but the BBC's JohnSudworth in Seoul says it already seems clear that one of South Korea'sbest known politicians took his own life.

Bribery allegations

A human rights lawyer, Mr Roh took office in 2003 vowing to fightcorruption, but correspondents say his term was a rollercoaster ride,with his Uri party hit by scandal and infighting.

He was suspended early in 2004, after parliament voted to impeach himover a breach of election rules, but the Constitutional Court lateroverturned the move and he was reinstated.

Last month, Mr Roh was questioned over allegations thathe had taken more than $6m in bribes from a wealthy shoe manufacturer,Park Yeon-cha, who was indicted in December on separate bribery and taxevasion charges.

The former president later apologised for the scandal.

"I feel ashamed before my fellow citizens. I am sorry for disappointingyou," he said in a televised statement on 30 April.

Mr Roh admitted his wife had received $1m from Mr Park.However, he said it was a payment to help her settle a debt, and not abribe.

He also said he was aware that the businessman hadgiven another $5m to a relative, but that he thought it was aninvestment.

After Mr Roh's death was announced on Saturday, JusticeMinister Kim Kyung-han said the corruption case against him would beformally closed. However, he did not say whether the former president'sfamily would continue to be investigated.