Seoul mayor’s death causes sympathy, questions of his acts
Won-soon was found dead on a wooded hill in northern Seoul early yesterday
The sudden death of Seoul’s mayor, reportedly implicated in a sexual harassment complaint, has caused an outpouring of public sympathy even as it has raised questions about a man who built his career as a reform-minded politician and self-described feminist.
Park Won-soon was found dead on a wooded hill in northern Seoul early yesterday, about seven hours after his daughter reported to police he had left her a “will-like” verbal message and then left their home. Authorities launched a massive search for the 64-year-old Park before rescue dogs found his body.
Police said there was no sign of foul play at the site though they refused to disclose the cause of death. Yesterday morning, Seoul officials said they were disclosing what they called Park’s “will” found at his residence at the request of his family.
“I feel sorry to everyone. I thank everyone who has been with me in my life,” the note shown on TV said. It continued with a request that his remains be cremated and scattered around his parents’ graves.
Park was a huge figure in South Korean politics. As a former human rights lawyer, Park led two of South Korea’s most influential civic groups and was mayor of Seoul, the South Korean capital city with 10 million people, since 2011. He was widely considered a leading liberal candidate for president when his political ally and current President Moon Jae-in’s single five-year term ends in 2022.
His supporters wailed and shouted slogans like “We love you’’ and “We are sorry” when his body arrived at a Seoul hospital. His name was the most popular search word in main portal sites, and condolence messages flooded social media.
But anti-Park sentiments also erupted amid media reports that one of his female secretaries had lodged a complaint with police on Wednesday night over alleged sexual harassment over an extend period. Police only confirmed that a complaint against Park had been filed but cited privacy issues in refusing to elaborate, including about whether the complaint was about sexual behaviour.