(LEAD) Moon 'shocked' by Seoul mayor's death, sends condolence flowers

All News 17:50 July 10, 2020

(ATTN: UPDATES with Moon's response, background; CHANGES headline, photos)

SEOUL, July 10 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in recalled his longtime personal relationship with late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon in response to Park's death, a top Cheong Wa Dae official said Friday on a visit to the funeral home in Seoul.

Moon was quoted by Noh Young-min, presidential chief of staff, as saying that the abrupt death is "very shocking".

A man carries condolence flowers sent by President Moon Jae-in to the funeral home of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon on July 10, 2020. (Yonhap)

The president noted that he had a long relationship with Park, going back to when they studied at the Judicial Research and Training Institute together in the early 1980s. They passed the state judicial exam together in 1980. Both Moon and Park were human rights lawyers before joining the liberal Democratic Party.

Moon also sent condolence flowers to the memorial established at Seoul National University.

Park apparently took his own life the previous day amid reports that one of his female former assistants had filed a complaint with police against him, claiming she had suffered sexual harassment.

Park was found dead shortly after midnight on Mount Bugak near his official residence and Cheong Wa Dae in the capital city. His body was immediately transferred to the hospital.

Park's funeral is slated for Monday.