What does rain symbolize in the novel, Human Acts?

At the beginning of the novel, the author introduces rain as a symbol of despair and emotional instability. In the main square, it is a rainy day and a crowd of people gather to mourn the dead. A man with a microphone says, “This rain is tears shed by the souls of the departed” (14). And as Dong-ho senses the rain on his skin, it gives him goose bumps: “the chilly rainwater, which has crept inside the collar of your uniform, soaks your vest as it trickles down your back” (14).