SEOUL - SOUTH Korea on Tuesday shifted the upcoming funeral of former president Roh Moo-Hyun later this week to a historic Seoul palace to accommodate tens of thousands of expected mourners.

The liberal leader, who held office from 2003-2008, leapt from a cliff last Saturday after being questioned in a graft scandal.

PROSECUTORS are also probing a friend of current President Lee Myung-Bak. Roh was questioned by prosecutors on April 30 about some US$6 million (S$8.7 million) which his family members received from a wealthy shoe manufacturer. ... more

Despite his low popularity ratings while in office, Roh's suicide has sparked a wave of national mourning and a heavy police presence to forestall protests against his conservative successor.

More than 340,000 people have visited a memorial site in his retirement village of Bongha near the southeast coast, the National Police Agency said.

Two private altars in Seoul have drawn a total of more than 60,000 people and officials said 100,000 have visited memorials set up by the government.

The funeral was originally scheduled to take place in Bongha, but Roh's family asked for it to be moved to cater to larger numbers.

Ceremonies will now be held on Friday in the courtyard of the imposing Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul, said Han Myung-Sook, a former prime minister under Roh who is representing the family. His body will be cremated after the funeral and the ashes will be taken for burial near his retirement home.

At a site outside the Deoksu Palace, another of Seoul's grand former royal residences, crowds bowed deeply and laid white chrysanthemums in front of portraits of a smiling Roh on two altars.

Hundreds of yellow and black ribbons with messages of grief fluttered along the walls.

The altars were decorated with black banners carrying anti-government slogans. Some of Roh's supporters accuse the current government of ordering a politically inspired probe into Roh's affairs, a charge it denies. -- AFP