Jeonnam Provincial Governor Park Tae-young Commits Suicide

At 12:48 p.m. on April 29, Jeonnam Provincial Governor Park Tae-young, who was being investigated by the prosecution for his involvement in the corruption case when he took charge of the National Health Insurance Corporation, committed suicide by drowning at Banpo Bridge, Seoul. When he crossed the bridge in his car, “Opirus,” he asked his 63-year-old driver, Lim Chung-ki to pull up by saying “I feel like throwing up and I’m dizzy.” He then drowned himself at a place 450 meters north from the southern part of the bridge.

Though Governor Park was rescued by police, who were called out by Lim, and evacuated to a hospital at around 12:55 p.m., he passed away en route.

Park has gone through a 14-hour-long investigation on April 27 and 28 because of suspicions of his involvement in personnel and supply corruption when he worked as the chief of the National Health Insurance Corporation back in 2000 and 2001.

He is suspected of receiving 110 million won related to supply corruption allegations, organizing 30 million won worth of illegal funds when he ran for the Jeonnam Provincial Governor election, and receiving 50 million won from employees for giving extra consideration for personnel changes.

Though Park was scheduled to be summoned by the prosecution on the morning of this day, he informed the prosecution of his desire not to appear, saying, “I’m not in good condition,” but he agreed to appear at 1 p.m. via his advocate Jung Oh-Kyung after considering a counter plan with his advocates at the Palace Hotel.

It has been known that Park has admitted his guilt regarding some of the charges against him. The prosecution had scheduled to wrap up the investigation of Park by this weekend and decide as to whether or not he would be punished.

But Jeonnam Provincial vice-minister for administration, Oh Hyun-seop, who met with Park on this morning, remarked that “Park said to me that he is crystal-clear of suspicion.”

Park’s testament has not been found, and his room with a coffin has been prepared at Chosun University Hospital in Gwangju.

A new election to fill the void of Jeonnam Provincial Governor will be carried out together with the prearranged June 5 elections.