Disgraced Seoul Mayor Was ‘Sorry’ Over #MeToo Scandal Before Suicide

 - Sakshi Post

SEOUL: Caught in a sexual harassment mess, Park Won-Soon, Mayor of Seoul in South Korea, committed suicide, thus ending a long career in politics in disgrace and on an ignominious note. A former human rights lawyer, Won-Soon would have been a strong contender to be the next president of South Korea had he been alive. His tragic death came to light, a day after he was mired in a #MeToo scandal.

According to officials in Seoul, Park Won-soon’s body was found on a mountain top here. A suicide note found later in his residence, had an ‘I’m sorry’ apology written on it, reflecting his remorse for things from the past that haunted him now.

Park Woo-Soon was by no means, a pushoever in south Korean politics. He turned out to be the most high-profile leader to be implicated in a sexual harassment case in South Korea. In fact, the south East Asian country was not quite unfamiliar to the #MeToo campaign which has accounted for the heads of several influential persons of varied fields.

"I'm sorry to everyone. I thank everyone who has been with me in my life," the suicide note purportedly written by Park read. "I'm sorry to my family, to whom I only caused pain," he further stated in the suicide note,  while asking to be cremated and his ashes be sprinkled at his parents' final resting places.

"Bye everyone," was how he signed off while making no reference to the sex muddle he was allegedly involved in. Park ended his life a day after his former secretary lodged a complaint with the police accusing him of sexual harassment.

The three elections that he won were a proof of his popularity and his efforts in promoting gender and social equality only added sheen to it. Unlike many politicos, he made no bones of his future political ambitions and revealed his plans to succeed current President Moon Jae-in in 2022. Arguably one of the strongmen of the ruling centre-left Democratic party, Park was at the helm of Seoul, which is to one-fifth of South Korea’s total population, for close to a decade.

In what is being believed as a statement to the police by Park's former secretary, who worked with him from 2015, it was alleged that he indulged in "sexual harassment and inappropriate gestures during work hours". Park was accused of forcing his female assistant to hug him in the bedroom that was next to his office.

The victim alleged that Park had also indulge in making advances after work hours. He allegedly sent her messages on a messenger app containing his selfies wearing underpants and laced with lewd comments.

"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 mentioned in her complaint to the police, who confirmed receiving it from her but refused to divulge the details.

The police confirmed a complaint had been filed but declined to confirm the details.

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