Fire Rescue Dog First to Discover
Belongings Such as Bag and Water Bottle Nearby
Suspected Suicide Attempt
[Asia Economy Reporters Lee Gwan-ju and Song Seung-yoon] Park Won-soon, the Mayor of Seoul, who was reported missing, was found dead on the 10th.
The police and fire authorities discovered Mayor Park’s body around 12:01 a.m. near Samcheonggak in the mountains while searching the Bukaksan area, where his whereabouts were last confirmed.
Mayor Park was first found by the fire department’s rescue dog "Sobae-gi" deployed for the search. The discovery location was not deep in the mountains but a place known to be frequented by people.
At the scene, belongings presumed to have been carried by Mayor Park, such as a bag, water bottle, and hat, were also found. It was reported that no note containing a will was found. The fire authorities recovered Mayor Park’s body and plan to transport it to Seoul National University Hospital.
The police believe Mayor Park took his own life and plan to investigate the exact circumstances.
Earlier, Mayor Park’s daughter reported to 112 at 5:17 p.m. the previous day, saying, "My father left home 4 to 5 hours ago after leaving what seemed like a farewell message, but his phone is turned off."
On the previous day at 10:44 a.m., Mayor Park left the official mayoral residence in Gahoe-dong, Jongno-gu, wearing a black hat, dark-colored jumper, black pants, gray shoes, and carrying a black backpack. He was captured on CCTV arriving at Waryong Park at 10:53 a.m.
The police and fire authorities mobilized about 770 personnel including riot police and firefighters, six drones equipped with night thermal cameras, and nine search dogs to search the Bukaksan area, finding Mayor Park after seven hours.
It is known that Mayor Park was recently accused of sexual harassment by a former secretary. The former secretary, Ms. A, reportedly filed a police complaint recently, alleging that she had been sexually harassed by Mayor Park in the past.
※ If you or someone around you is struggling with difficult issues such as depression, you can receive 24-hour professional counseling at suicide prevention hotline ☎1393, mental health counseling ☎1577-0199, Hope Call ☎129, Lifeline ☎1588-9191, and Youth Hotline ☎1388.
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