Roh Moo-Hyun

Yesterday, May 23rd, I was sitting at my table writing postcards to my friends back home, when Jun runs into my place. He sits down at the table, panting like a dog in heat, and wiped the dripping sweat from his face. The first thing out of his mouth was, "Maki! Do you know what's going on? The president! People are boycotting!! People get their eyes blown out with water last year!!"
Out of his jumbled English, I distinguished that whatever had happened wasn't good and the streets in Seoul weren't safe anymore.

According to the New York Times, Roh Moo-Hyun, the former president of Korea, committed suicide. Before dawn on Saturday, former President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea switched on his computer and typed a suicide note — his last comment on a corruption scandal that threatened to undo his proudest, and last remaining, legacy: his record as an upstanding political leader.

“Don’t be too sad,” Mr. Roh said in the note, meant for his wife and two children. “Life and death are all parts of nature. Don’t be sorry. Don’t blame anyone. Accept it as fate.”

An hour and a half later, as the sun rose through a cloudy sky, Mr. Roh, 62, climbed a hill overlooking his native village of Bongha, on the south coast, and jumped off a cliff."

It is said that he was being investigated for making bribes back when he was president. Some say he was a very popular president. He has a large fan base in the area where I'm staying. This large fan base is very upset and they are known for starting riots, very very dangerous riots.

Later that night when Jun and I went out to get some samgyeopsal and noraebong cgaja (go to the karaoke room---i'm actually learning korean!!!), the streets were filled like they normally would be on any Saturday night in Seoul, but this time there was a distinct difference. I felt scared. Police lined the streets with shields. They guarded the subways. They were armed and ready, for at any moment a riot could break out and cause mayhem across the Jongno and Insadong districts of Seoul.

To get back to what Jun was saying in his mumbled explanation, last time there was a riot, people took fire hoses and started spraying people with them. Many people lost their eyes when they got sprayed in the face, some people even died, thus making it very unsafe to venture out into Seoul at this time.