Mayor Park Won-soon of Seoul found dead, left note apologizing to family for causing pain

People pay their respects to the late Mayor of Seoul, Park Won-soon, at a memorial in the South Korean capital on July 10, 2020.HANDOUT/SEOUL CITY GOVERNMENT

Seoul — The three-term mayor of South Korea's sprawling capital city was found dead early Friday morning in mountains north of Seoul. City officials said he left a short "will-like" message apologizing to his family and the Korean people just days after reportedly being accused of sexual misconduct by a former secretary.

Police launched a search for Mayor Park Won-soon early Thursday evening after his daughter reported him missing.

Hundreds of police officers used sniffer dogs and drones in the seven-hour search for Park, focusing on the mountains north of Seoul where his cell phone signal was last detected. His body was found late Thursday night on Mount Bugak. Police have not commented on the cause of his death.

"I'm sorry to everyone. I want to thank all those people who have been there throughout my life. I'm sorry to my family because I've only brought you pain," Park said in the written note found on his desk. He asked for his body to be cremated and the ashes scattered at a family burial plot, concluding simply, "Goodbye, everyone."

A photo provided by the government of Seoul shows a note left by Mayor Park Won-soon at his official residence hours before his body was found on a mountain outside the South Korean capital, on July 9, 2020.HANDOUT/SEOUL GOVERNMENT

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