By Park Si-soo
Rep. Roh Hoe-chan of the minor opposition Justice Party, whose tenacious pursuit of transparency and justice earned him the nickname “Mr. Clean,” committed suicide at an apartment complex in Seoul on Monday amid a bribery scandal.
His body was found at 9:39 a.m. in front of building 13 at the Namsan Town Apartment complex, police said, citing a security guard who first spotted the body. A note was found on him, police added.
Roh has been under investigation into suspicions he accepted 50 million won ($44,333) from an aide to an influential blogger, known by the nickname Druking, at the center of an opinion-rigging scandal.
“I feel sorry for my family,” the note reads. “I did receive money linked with Druking, but it was not in exchange for any inappropriate favors.”
The incident took place one day after he returned from the U.S.