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Five-day funerals are unusual in South Korea
A former secretary to the mayor of Seoul, who died last week in an apparent suicide, accused him of four years of sexual harassment.
Park Won-soon was one of the most influential leaders in South Korea and was seen as a possible presidential candidate.
Her body was found in the woods on Friday, after a note was found for her family, and her funeral began on Monday.
His death came just a day after the secretary filed a police complaint about his behavior.
More than 500,000 people signed a petition saying that Mr. Park’s five-day state funeral should not continue.
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A mourner at the funeral on Monday.
What did the alleged victim say?
At a press conference Monday, attorneys for the alleged victim said the mayor had sexually harassed her for four years.
The woman said the mayor sent her photos of him in his underwear and called her into his office bedroom, asking her to hug him.
The woman said she asked the Seoul City Council for help, but was ignored. She said the abuse continued even when she changed departments.
“You should have reported this at first,” the alleged victim said in a letter that was read at the press conference. “I wonder if he had, he wouldn’t be blaming me now.”
- Seoul’s missing mayor Park Won was soon found dead
She said she was “interrogated all night” after complaining to police, and that she was shocked by the death of her former boss.
“The word death was something I couldn’t have talked about, even in my most difficult times. It was really very disappointing and I still don’t want to believe it.”
“I wish the dead good will.”
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A Buddhist monk pays his respects at a public monument for Park Won-soon at Seoul City Hall
What happened to Park Won-soon?
After a large search, Mr. Park’s body was found Friday in woods on Mount Bugak in Seoul.
He left a note for his family, which was published publicly after his death.
What did the funeral request say?
The petition on the South Korean presidential website, where people regularly campaign, was signed more than 560,000 times.
“Do people need to see an elegant five-day funeral for a famous politician whose accusation of sexual harassment led him to commit suicide?” I ask
“What kind of message does that send to people? It should be a quiet family funeral.”
On Sunday, a court in Seoul rejected a court order to stop the public funeral.
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Park at a rally before his first elections in 2011
More than 20,000 people paid their respects to Mr. Park during the mourning period, and some showed their support on Monday, despite heavy rains.
Monday’s service, which aired online, was limited to 100 socially estranged people.
“Mourning does not necessarily exclude soul searching, but now is the time to cry,” said Paik Nak-chung, a literary critic who helped direct the funeral.
Who Was Park Won-soon?
The 64-year-old man became mayor of Seoul in 2011 and won two other elections.
He was a member of President Moon’s Liberal Democratic Party and excepted from being a possible presidential candidate in 2022.
As a lawyer, he won the country’s first sexual harassment case and highlighted the country’s numerous economic inequalities.
He was jailed in the 1970s for protesting against the country’s authoritarian government.
Park’s political friends and allies seem to want to cover their ears when it comes to the sexual allegations he faced.
When reporters have asked questions, they have received responses such as “now is not the time” and “your manners matter.”
A journalist even swore during the weekend.
Those in his Democratic Party find it difficult to reconcile their memories of a man who fought so hard for women’s rights with the claims we have heard.
The party has had two other recent sexual abuse scandals. Former South Chungcheong Governor Ahn Hee-jung is in prison after his assistant accused him of rape.
Former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don resigned last month after a public official accused him of sexually assaulting her in his office.
For decades, women in this deeply patriarchal country have struggled to present their claims of sexual harassment.
Things have started to change in recent years as the MeToo movement gains momentum.
In his pain, it may be difficult for Park’s former political colleagues to take their hands off their ears.
But many women in this country are making it clear that if they want to have faith in those in power, they are interested in listening.
If you or someone you know is emotionally distressed, BBC Action Line You have more information.
In the UK you can call free of charge at any time to listen to the recorded information 0800 066 066. Also, you can call the Samaritans toll free at 116 123 (UK and Ireland). Mind also has a confidential phone line: 0300 123 339 (Monday through Friday from 9 am to 6 pm). Help links in South Korea can be found here.
