Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon was found dead on Friday, 10 July, hours after he had been reported missing following a sexual harassment claim by a former employee, reported news agency AFP.
Won-soon was viewed as a potential candidate for the 2022 presidential elections in South Korea.
His daughter told the police that he had left a message before leaving the house, prompting her to inform the police, reported BBC. The cause of his death has not been declared yet. However, the police are investigating whether he could have killed himself, reported Yonhap news agency.
“I’m sorry to everyone. I thank everyone who has been with me in my life. I’m sorry to my family, to whom I only caused pain. Bye, everyone,” he wrote in the message, without mentioning anything about the sexual harassment allegations.
The Allegation Against Won-soon
According to local media reports, the mayor's former personal secretary filed a police complaint alleging "inappropriate gestures" during working hours. She also claimed that he insisted on "hugging" her in the bedroom adjoining his office.
"I brainwashed myself, bearing tremendous fear and humiliation, that all of this was in the interest of Seoul City, myself, and mayor Park," she reportedly said in the complaint.
She alleged that he sent her selfies of himself in his underwear, along with lewd comments on a messenger app.
(With inputs from BBC, AFP, Yonhap)
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