"Are You Sure It's an Honorable Death?"... Petition Opposing the Funeral of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon Surpasses 200,000 Signatures

Park Won-soon's Funeral as a 5-Day Event by Seoul Mayor
Petitioner: "Are You Sure It's an Honorable Death... It Should Be a Family Funeral"

The late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon. Photo by Seoul City

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Su-wan] Mayor Park Won-soon of Seoul was found dead about seven hours after a missing person report was filed. Following this, the Seoul Metropolitan Government decided to hold Mayor Park’s funeral as a Seoul Special Mayor’s Funeral (葬). Within less than a day after a petition on the Blue House website requesting the cancellation of this decision was launched, it surpassed 200,000 signatures. This occurred about ten hours after the petition was posted on the morning of the 10th.

On that day, a petition titled "Opposition to holding Park Won-soon’s funeral as a five-day Seoul Special Mayor’s Funeral" was posted on the Blue House petition board. As of 8 a.m. that day, the petition had received 214,268 signatures.

If a petition posted on the Blue House website receives more than 200,000 signatures within a month, the Blue House is required to issue an official response.

The petitioner stated, "Because Park Won-soon passed away, the sexual harassment allegations could not be investigated and were closed, but can we be sure that this was a dignified death?" and asked, "Should the public watch the glamorous five-day funeral of a prominent politician who allegedly committed suicide due to sexual harassment allegations through the media?"

They added, "What message are you trying to send to the public?" and argued, "I believe it is appropriate to hold a quiet family funeral."

Moreover, besides this petition, many others opposing holding Mayor Park’s funeral as a Seoul Special Mayor’s Funeral were posted, including petitions titled "Please cancel holding Mayor Park Won-soon’s funeral as a five-day Seoul Special Mayor’s Funeral" and "Demand the removal of Mayor Park Won-soon’s title and a family funeral."

Another petitioner pointed out, "Mayor Park Won-soon was accused of sexual harassment," and said, "Although the case was closed due to 'lack of prosecutorial jurisdiction,' most rational citizens understand why Mayor Park committed suicide."

They continued, "The victim woman will suffer secondary damage," and urged, "Please cancel holding the funeral as a five-day Seoul Special Mayor’s Funeral immediately."

Photo by Cheongwadae National Petition Website Capture

Earlier, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it would hold Mayor Park’s funeral as a Seoul Special Mayor’s Funeral. The city began receiving mourners from noon at the funeral hall room 1 on the 3rd floor of Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where Mayor Park’s body was laid to rest.

Additionally, a memorial altar was set up in front of City Hall to receive citizens’ condolences starting from 11 a.m. on the 11th. The funeral will be held as a five-day funeral counting from the presumed date of death, the 9th.

The Seoul Special Mayor’s Funeral is classified as a funeral procedure for heads of institutions in the government protocol manual. Although there is no legal basis for heads of institutions, unlike a family funeral organized by the bereaved family, the institution forms a funeral committee and manages the funeral under the committee’s name, making it a public funeral ceremony with strong public significance.

Meanwhile, Mayor Park left his official residence on the 9th and lost contact, and was found dead near Sukjeongmun Gate on Bukaksan Mountain in the early hours of the 10th. It is known that Mayor Park was accused of sexual harassment by a former Seoul city employee shortly before his death.

According to the police, no suicide note was found at the scene, but one was discovered on Mayor Park’s desk by a city hall employee managing the official residence the previous afternoon.

At around 11:50 a.m. on the 10th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government disclosed the suicide note written by Mayor Park at the funeral hall of Seoul National University Hospital where his body was laid. In the note, Mayor Park wrote, "I am sorry to everyone," and "I thank all those who have been with me in my life." He continued, "I am always sorry to my family, to whom I could only bring pain," and requested, "Please cremate me and scatter my ashes at my parents’ graves. Goodbye, everyone."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.