BREAKING: Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon reported missing to police by daughter.
BREAKING: Daughter of Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon dialed police at 5:17 pm local time today to report father missing, who left house 4-5 hours prior, "leaving behind words that sounded like his will". Police trying to locate the Mayor. yna.co.kr/view/AKR202007…
DEVELOPING: Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon has been reported missing by his daughter, his phone is reportedly turned off. Police are trying to locate his whereabouts. 
DEVELOPING: Police have deployed drones and dogs to locate the missing Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon. He did not come to work today having called in sick. yna.co.kr/view/AKR202007…
I'm outside the Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon's house located in Bukchon. Police have set up a police line, press are swarming in.
About 25 journalists are currently setting base in front of the Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon's house. He was reported missing by his daughter just under 2 hours ago. Rumours swirling around online.
Police are searching an area 2 km north of the mayor's house where his phone signal was last detected, whereabouts have not been confirmed as of 7 pm KST.
Some said that Mayor Park was found dead, but the police have confirmed that it is not true as of now, reports Yonhap.
Some said that Mayor Park was found dead, but the police have confirmed that it is not true as of now, reports Yonhap.
Mayor of Seoul Park left his house in Bukchon at 10:44 am today wearing a black hat, a dark jumper, black trousers, gray shoes and a black backpack when he went out. He was reported missing by his daughter at 5:17 pm. His phone is off.
This is what happens when press are falsely tipped off.
Cameras are on standby "if they find a body" as some Korean journalists are saying here outside Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon's house.
Police have denied rumours that as of now a body has been discovered.
Police have denied rumours that as of now a body has been discovered.
A man has just stepped out of Mayor Park's house. Media desperate to find out if he knows anything, whether he's had contact with Park, and his relation with him, if any. No significant comment.
As far as I know, there is no additional information as of now, aside from the fact that the Mayor of Seoul has been missing since this morning, left some "odd" words to his daughter before leaving, and has his phone off. So many rumours are flying around, articles being deleted.
This is Korean media: articles saying a body has been found are being uploaded, then deleted or edited with new headlines.
For instance, this article from Chosun saying a body has been found has magically disappeared.
Police, fire brigade, and medics are on standby in Seongbuk-dong where Mayor Park's mobile phone signal was last detected.
Almost 4 hrs since Mayor Park Won-soon was reported missing. What we know:
-He called in sick in AM
-Left house at 10:44 am
-Daughter reported him missing at 5:17 pm
-Phone signal last detected near Gilsangsa Temple
-Search underway in Waryong Park, police, drones, dogs deployed
-He called in sick in AM
-Left house at 10:44 am
-Daughter reported him missing at 5:17 pm
-Phone signal last detected near Gilsangsa Temple
-Search underway in Waryong Park, police, drones, dogs deployed
SBS is reporting that a secretary of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon filed a police complaint last night accusing Mayor Park of continuous sexual harassment.
Please note that I *cannot* confirm the content of this news.
news.sbs.co.kr/amp/news.amp?n…
Please note that I *cannot* confirm the content of this news.
news.sbs.co.kr/amp/news.amp?n…
It's important to note that with these breaking news stories in South Korea, a LOT of fake news is generated, edited, pulled down without retractions. Should take everything with a pinch of salt until we get official statements.
Media quietly camping outside Mayor Park's house.
Media quietly camping outside Mayor Park's house.
Cameras are on standby right outside the front door of Mayor Park's house.
A lot of the media camping outside Mayor Park's house are now leaving for Seoul National University Hospital. There are no confirmed reports about his whereabouts. SNU Hospital is the closest major hospital to where his phone signal was last detected.
Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon has not been found yet. No additional major announcements. If police and fire authorities cannot find him, will send out helicopters at sunrise.
This is the current scene outside Seoul National University Hospital. Again, nothing has been confirmed. A second search for Mayor Park Won-soon started at 10:30 pm KST. Earlier on, rumours were swirling that his body was being taken to the hospital.
Either way, it's a logical spot to potentially be, being the closest major hospital to where Mayor Park was last seen, arriving at Waryong Park at 10:53 am. yna.co.kr/view/AKR202007…
Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon's Twitter @wonsoonpark has been taken down.
Mayor Park's social media presence has either been set to private or seemingly deleted. On Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. I'm guessing this is a move by City Hall.
BREAKING: Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon apparently found dead, according to Yonhap News.
yna.co.kr/view/AKR202007…
yna.co.kr/view/AKR202007…
BREAKING: Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon has been found dead near Sukjeongmun Gate.
What we know: Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon called in sick this morning, went for a walk to a nearby park. His daughter reported him missing in afternoon, his body was found just now.
A former secretary also filed a police complaint last night accusing him of sexual harassment.
A former secretary also filed a police complaint last night accusing him of sexual harassment.
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon's body was found at midnight near Sukjeongmun Gate, which is located about 1.7 km away from his house.
It appears he killed himself.
It appears he killed himself.
With Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon confirmed dead, the complaint filed against him accusing him of continuous sexual harassment has also ended.
If a suspect under investigation dies, prosecutors are required to dispose of the case, have "no right to indict."
yna.co.kr/view/AKR202007…
If a suspect under investigation dies, prosecutors are required to dispose of the case, have "no right to indict."
yna.co.kr/view/AKR202007…
Supporters of the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon have been gathering overnight at SNU Hospital. His body arrived at the morgue at 3:30 am. Supporters were reportedly crying outside, saying "Park Won-soon, please get up". An altar is being set up. inews24.com/view/1280681
"The Seoul city government said Friday it plans to hold a mayoral funeral for Park Won-soon and run on a contingency plan for the time being following his abrupt death that is suspected as a suicide." en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN202007…
Press and police have completely disappeared from in front of the late Mayor of Seoul's house (left). No one is here. Footage released earlier today shows him leaving this place 24 hours ago (right).
Trending on Twitter in Korean is Rest In Peace (고인의 명복), for two different reasons:
- RIP Park Won-soon
- RIP justice
- RIP Park Won-soon
- RIP justice
I am aware that a text written by the alleged victim is floating around online, as is the alleged final letter by the late Seoul Mayor. I cannot verify the authenticity of these texts, let alone their content. Unless something becomes more official, I won't be reposting these.
BREAKING: Late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon's dying words made public:
"I'm sorry to everyone. Thank you to everyone who's been with me in my life. I'm so sorry to my family for giving you nothing but pain. Cremate me and sprinkle my ashes on my parents' grave. Goodbye everybody".
"I'm sorry to everyone. Thank you to everyone who's been with me in my life. I'm so sorry to my family for giving you nothing but pain. Cremate me and sprinkle my ashes on my parents' grave. Goodbye everybody".
There are still so many unknowns surrounding the death of the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon. Much of the information coming out right now is alleged. Some people are mourning, others are understandably angry. It will probably take days if not months before we know what happened.
"President Moon Jae-in plans to send condolence flowers to the funeral home of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, a Cheong Wa Dae official said Friday, after his body was found in a mountain area in Seoul." yna.kr/AEN20200710005…
"The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Friday morning that a 5-day funeral service will be carried out at Seoul National University Hospital, where his body was taken. A memorial altar was to be arranged for the public in front of City Hall the same day." koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20…
US Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris offers his condolences to the bereaved family and the people of Seoul.
There is currently a petition on the presidential Blue House website against the decision to hold a 5-day funeral given that Park Won-soon's life ended with allegations of sexual harassment without investigation.
www1.president.go.kr/petitions/5905…
www1.president.go.kr/petitions/5905…
Park Won-soon funeral / memorial details given by Seoul City:
Petition against the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon's 5-day funeral given the sexual harassment allegations has surpassed 200,000 signatures, necessitating the presidential Blue House to respond. Not that it can do much about it.
Just in: S. Korean police do not suspect Park Won-soon was killed by anyone, body to be handed to bereaved family without autopsy. yna.kr/AKR20200710167…
LIVE IN SEOUL PLAZA: Memorial service underway for the late Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon.
Mourners are getting their body temperatures checked and given hand sanitiser
People coming to pay their respects to the late Park Won-soon here in front of Seoul City Hall are visibly upset, some in tears.
The late Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon was found dead shortly after midnight yesterday, in an apparent suicide. His is to get a 5-day funeral, with this public memorial set up in front of Seoul's City Hall.
People have come here to pay their respects to the late Park Won-soon.
Markers have been placed on the floor to indicate social distancing. Body temperatures are being checked despite the 30°C heat. Hand sanitiser dispensed.
Mourners are writing their condolences here at the public memorial for the late Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon.
A large line has formed in front of Seoul's City Hall.
A few scuffles with pro-Park Geun-hye supporters at the memorial of the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon...
The memorial of the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon is not without controversy. Some have said the matter should be private, given the allegations of sexual misconduct that emerged hours before his death.
For many, Park Won-soon's death coupled with the allegations of sexual misconduct came as a double shock. Can critical discourse and empathy go together? Thread:
Flowers placed in front of Seoul City Hall. One message reads "Won-soon brother, why did you have to go so soon? I'm going to miss you so much".
