Former county head accused of bribery found dead on hillside

Former head of Cheongdo County Kim Ha-su was found dead on a wooded hillside in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang, on Monday morning. 

According to police, firefighters discovered his body while searching the area after his family reported him missing. The search began once family members found a handwritten note at his home.

Police believe Kim took his own life and are looking into the exact circumstances surrounding his death.

"It is true that a note was found, but we cannot disclose its contents," a police official said.

Kim had been under investigation since March over allegations that he accepted large sums of money from a civil servant seeking a promotion while serving as county chief.

A man in his 70s, a close associate of Kim who was accused of delivering the money, was also found dead in May. Several others tied to the case remain in custody as the investigation continues.

Kim had already faced public backlash in January after an audio recording surfaced of him verbally abusing a female executive at a local nursing home.

He ran for a second term as governor of Cheongdo County in last month's nationwide local elections as the People Power Party’s nominee, but lost to independent candidate Park Kwon-hyun.

BY KIM JUNG-SEOK [[email protected]]