A stream of mourners are paying respects to late former President Roh Moo-hyun at his retirement home at Bongha village in Gimhae City.

A memorial altar for the former president was set up at the village hall late Saturday night a few hours after his body was transported from Pusan National University Hospital.

Top officials of the Roh administration including former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, former Health and Welfare Minister Rhyu Si-min, former Justice Minister Chun Jung-bae and former Home Minster Kim Doo-kwan burned incense and paid respects before the altar. Among the mourners were chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party Chung Se-kyun and chairman of the minor opposition Democratic Labor Party Kang Ki-gap.

Outside the village hall, thousands of supporters and citizens, many in tears and with swollen eyes, held a wake with candlelights in hand. The mourners --- many of them members of Nosamo, an association of Roh's supporters --- wailed and weeped over the late president's sudden death and expressed outrage over the prosecution investigation that apparently led to his suicide.

In Seoul, citizens and supporters mourned the death of the late president at a temporary memorial altar set up in front of Deoksu Palace. Mourners strongly protested riot police who ringed the area with police buses for fear of a possible protest by mourners. Police estimated the crowd who turned out at the memorial site in front of the Joseon Dynasty palace in central Seoul at three thousand. But the number of mourners --- a diverse group of people: men and women, old and young --- was growing late into the night.

There was no word on funeral arrangements. The government said it will make preparations for a state-organized funeral should the bereaved family request it. But there is also speculation that the bereaved family may choose a family funeral.

In case of a state-organized funeral, the government will form a funeral committee headed by the prime minister.

It's not known where he'll be buried. In a suicide note, the late president asked that he be cremated and that a small memorial monument be erected in his village.