Late Park Won-soon's Daughter: "Dad Gave Everything Even Going into Debt... How Could Women's Groups Do That?"

Photo by Jeong Cheol-seung, captured from lawyer's Facebook

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Lawyer Jeong Cheol-seung, who represented the late former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, has revealed conversations he had with Mayor Park's wife, Kang Nan-hee, and their daughter.

On the 20th, Lawyer Jeong posted on his social media service (SNS), "It is said that the late Mayor Park Won-soon left only debts to his family. I asked his wife about it."

He asked Mrs. Kang, "I understand that Mayor Park briefly worked as a prosecutor and then became a very capable lawyer. Didn't he earn some money back then?" Mrs. Kang replied, "He earned well. He even bought buildings and such," adding, "However, he donated everything to various civic groups, and after deciding to become a full-time civic activist in 1994, he never brought any living expenses home. I ran a small business to support our living."

In response, Lawyer Jeong asked, "Even so, he held many outside director positions at large companies like POSCO, which paid tens of millions of won annually, and served as Seoul Mayor for 10 years. Is it believable that he had no assets?"

Mayor Park's daughter answered, "There were always many people around Dad asking for help, and Dad gave everything to those people, even going into debt. The debts he left behind were created that way."

She added, "Among them, I clearly remember there were also women's organizations. But how could those people... how could they do that to our Dad..."

Mrs. Kang's handwritten letter.
Photo by Lawyer Jeong

Earlier, on the 8th, Lawyer Jeong had released a handwritten letter from Mrs. Kang ahead of the first anniversary memorial for the late Mayor Park.

Mrs. Kang stated, "I want to inform many people who miss Park Won-soon," and explained, "I feel very sorry to my husband Park Won-soon and my family's heart is also heavy, but we have decided to hold this first anniversary memorial only with family at Jogyesa Temple."

She added, "When the COVID-19 situation improves, we will definitely gather again with those who miss Park Won-soon to talk about him and share our sorrow together."

(Seoul=Yonhap News) On the afternoon of the 10th, the portrait of the late Park Won-soon, former mayor of Seoul, was placed at the funeral hall set up at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Meanwhile, former Mayor Park was accused on July 8 last year of sexual harassment by a former secretary.

The next day (the 9th) in the morning, Mayor Park left a message to a close aide saying, "I don't think I can overcome this wave," and was found dead around midnight on the 10th. Due to Mayor Park's death, the sexual harassment accusation case was closed with 'no prosecution.'