Ex-president's suicide leaves S. Korea with questions about its leaders

Prosecutors were expected to indict Roh in a matter of days. He was the third South Korean president since 1995 to face a corruption investigation after leaving office.

Experts say Roh died concerned about his legacy.

"He may not have known much about his family's dealings with people trying to gain favors and was ashamed after the relationship came to light," said Hahm Sung-deuk, a professor of politics at Korea University. "He killed himself to show how ashamed he was."

Others don't see Roh as a victim.

"I don't think anyone will believe for a minute his wife was taking all that money and he knew absolutely nothing about it," Myers said.

Guilty or not, Roh may have found the appearance of impropriety too much to bear.

"I suppose that this image of morality and public trust may have been a huge burden," said Kim Kwang-dong, head of the Nara Policy Institute. "Because now the nation realized that once a symbol of protest and ethics, Roh was no different from conventional politicians."

Police found a hiking boot and a bloodstained jacket at the scene of Roh's death. They confiscated a computer on which Roh's lawyer said he left a suicide note.

In his last written words, the onetime political dragon-slayer asked to be cremated and for a small tombstone to be erected near his home. He also left an epitaph of sorts.

"The pain that I caused to so many people is too great. The pain in the coming days is unfathomable," he reportedly wrote. "Don't be sorry. Don't blame anyone. It's destiny."

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john.glionna@latimes.com

Ju-min Park of The Times' Seoul Bureau contributed to this report.