SKorea PM offers to quit over scandal
Print Edition
South Korea’s prime minister has offered to resign amid a bribery scandal just two months after he took up the country’s No. 2 post, officials said yesterday, in the latest political crisis to hit President Park Geun-hye.
Lee Wan-Koo has been at the center of a corruption scandal that flared after a businessman killed himself earlier this month, leaving a memo listing the names of eight high-profile figures he claimed to have bribed. Most of the eight men, including Lee, are considered as close associates of Park.
Businessman Sung Wan-jong told a local daily before his death he gave 30 million won (US$27,390) to Lee in 2013.
Lee has denied the allegation but he has seen growing calls to resign after media reported alleged evidence that indicates his ties with Sung. Lee’s office said yesterday he conveyed his resignation offer on Monday to President Park, who was in Peru on a four-nation trip.
Park described Lee’s offer as “very regrettable” and said she “felt the prime minister’s agony”, according to a statement on the presidential Blue House website.
Park also called for a thorough investigation into the scandal.
The latest scandal comes as Park struggles to deal with criticism over her government’s handling of last year’s ferry disaster that killed more than 300 people. Violence broke out at a Seoul rally on Saturday led by relatives of the ferry victims and their supporters, leaving dozens of people injured. Park has also faced criticism over what analysts say is her poor communication with the public and lack of transparency on personnel appointments.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
