So many people commit suicide in Korea. They have a very high rate. And famous people keep setting the example. Today, it was the humuliated and profoundly unsuccessful former president, 노무현. I'm of the personal opinion that he was at least somewhat better than the current president… that's largely due to ideological issues. That there was corruption and gross incompetence in Roh's administration is undeniable. But he entered politics as a human rights lawyer and activist, and I really feel that his intentions were genuine. Somehow, I'm inclined to "read" his suicide as a confirmation of that. Truly corrupt people (compunctionless types) feel no shame. And no shame means no suicide. The truly corrupt go and lurk in a fog of false righteousness. But suicide is easy to "romanticize." It can be manipulative, too. So… who knows.
He threw himself off a cliff near his home village. He left a note — no ambiguity. He'd been in the midst of being investigated (or prosecuted?) for corruption charges. I guess he just didn't want to deal with it anymore.