Death of a President

LET IT GO, people. That's enough.

He committed suicide. He left his family to fend for themselves. He left it all behind by throwing himself off of the rocks situated behind his home, in the quiet town of Bong Wha. He was hardly an ordinary man, and he certainly did not choose an ordinary death. But his death was not a heroic one, nor was it martyrdom. It was an escape. Some might say an act of cowardice.

I am not writing this post to speak ill of the dead. That is not my intention. I am not affiliated with any political parties in Korea. While I was not a follower of Roh's presidency, I understand and respect that his policies had gained much support from a large percentile of Korea (and apparently, Kim Jong Il's attention as well). This is simply an act of transcribing my thoughts into words, so that I may make room in my brain for better things.

I question his decision to end his life the way that he did. The timing of it. The reaction of this self-acclaimed "developing-but-almost-developed" nation to the death of their ex-president. It rocked the nation hard, and the debris from the quake is everywhere. I can't escape from it, as I reside in the soul of Seoul; his death resonates in everything that I encounter living my daily life as a South Korean. His face and voice, the news of his death, and the aftermath, echoes in every medium available. Sometimes it sucks to live in the most wired country in the world. I'm afraid to turn on the TV, or listen to the radio, or even to check my e-mail, because it would be inevitable that I would stumble across yet another article remembering the greatness that was the life and death of the ex-president. I can't help but think, "Remind me again, how did he die?"

The government and media, they use a special word to refer to his suicide: "seogeo." This is a respectful term for the death of an individual who passed away. The correct meaning and usage of the word is still a hot debate among Korean netizens and bloggers, but nonetheless the word is uttered by all. It seems to me that we have suddenly forgotten that the word "suicide" exists in the Korean vocabulary. Or I apparently missed my memo that we as a nation are playing pretend.

Death after fighting years of cancer, THAT's deserving of respect. On the same day that Roh jumped off a cliff, a greatly respected and beloved Korean actress Eun-Ge Yeo had passed away after many years of fighting a heart disease. She was also a philanthropist, donating much of her money in secret for the betterment of society. The news of her death never made it to the mainstream that day. Granted, suicides make for better news....

There is no need for Roh's suicide to be turned into a heroic act, especially in a country that ranks as #1 worldwide in number of suicides. The current government is foolish for letting all this happen. If Roh had indeed lived in glory throughout his life as a human rights lawyer and president, than his actions should speak for themselves.

My disappointment also goes for the people. They have allowed their respect and sorrow for the death of a man to be transformed into unfounded and uncontrolled anger, which unsurprisingly have been channeled towards the current government. Lee's presidency has already suffered so many blunt force traumas that I don't know if it can survive another one without falling into a coma.

Roh deserves a decent funeral, yes, there is no doubt about that. But I don't know what to think of the 300+ "altars" temporarily stationed all over Seoul. I don't know what to make of his followers, the "NoSaMo" (short in Korean for "Those Who Love R. M. H."), who have thrown things, literally, at those who had anything to do with the downfall of Roh, including the current president. What citizens of a civilized nation shred to pieces the white flowers sent by a president, who only wished to pay his respects? I am angered every time I read about their highly unjustified attempts to prevent, using physical force bordering on violence, the members of the opposing party and those working for the current president from paying their respects at the altars.

We all need to take a step back and breathe, and let Roh rest in peace, not in pieces.