Seoul police confirmed that the mayor Park Won-soon was found dead after his daughter reported him missing, Reuters reported.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency found the mayor's body at Mt Bugak in northern Seoul, not far from where the last time his cell phone signal was detected, Yonhap said.

According to Yonhap, the mayor's daughter reported him missing at 5:17 p.m. (0817 GMT) and said he had left a message "like a will".

Hundreds of police using drones and dogs searched for the mayor on Thursday.