SEOUL MAYOR PARK WON-SOON FOUND DEAD

[Anchor Lead]

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon has been found dead on Bukaksan Mountain in Seoul seven hours after he was reported missing. Police presume that Park committed suicide, but no note was found at the scene.

[Pkg]

​Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon has been found dead around midnight, seven hours after he was reported missing. His body was found at the foot of Bukaksan Mountain between Samcheonggak Resort and Sukjeongmun Gate. That's about one kilometer away from Waryong Park, where the late Seoul mayor was last spotted on a security camera. Some 700 police troops and firefighters as well as search and rescue dogs and drones were deployed to search for the missing mayor.

[Soundbite] CHOI IK-SOO(DETECTIVE DIVISION, SEOUL METROPOLITAN POLICE AGENCY) : "The body was first spotted by a search and rescue dog before firefighters and our agents who were following the dog confirmed it."

Police identified Park based on the body's appearance and belongings found near it. Police presume Park left his residence in Gahoe-dong, Seoul, on Thursday morning and took a taxi to Waryong Park. He then walked to the foot of Bukaksan Mountain. Although investigation is still underway, police believe the late Seoul mayor took his own life and the possibility of murder is low.

[Soundbite] CHOI IK-SOO(DETECTIVE DIVISION, SEOUL METROPOLITAN POLICE AGENCY) : "There is no evidence of murder so far, but we will conduct an in-depth investigation into his death later."

Police declined to provide more details on the cause of Park's death out of consideration for his bereaved family. No note has been found at the scene.

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