이 누리집은 대한민국 공식 전자정부 누리집입니다.
Biz News Korea(Eng)
Justice minister and a secretary of scandal-ridden Korean president offer to resign
- Collected
- 2016.11.24
- Distributed
- 2016.11.28
- Source
- Go Direct
South Korea’s justice minister and a senior presidential secretary offered to resign on Wednesday after the prosecution on Sunday named President Park Geun-hye an accomplice in crimes of corruption and power abuses by her friend Choi Soon-sil and two key aides.
Justice Minister Kim Hyun-woong and Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs Choi Jae-kyong submitted their resignation to the president, said presidential spokesman Jung Youn-kuk. The president is yet to accept their resignations.
Sources say the two high-ranking officials tendered resignation letters to share the responsibility for a situation where the sitting president faces criminal investigations for the first time ever and was pinned as a prime suspect to major offenses of condoning longtime friend Choi Soon-sil in amassing illicit fortune and wielding unfettered influence in state and other affairs.
Kim took office 16 months ago and Choi joined the presidential aide team late last month.
Earlier, prosecutors announced that Park colluded with Choi and Park’s key secretaries - Ahn Chong-bum and Jeong Ho-seong - in considerable parts of the alleged criminal acts, turning the president`s status to a suspect from a witness.
Park and her attorney condemned the prosecution`s investigation results, claiming the interim results were based on “imagination and conjecture” and refused to comply with investigation from the state prosecutors. The government has passed a bill to form independent counselor that needs to be recommended by the opposition parties and endorsed by the president to separately investigate the case. The prosecution finding has built momentum for the legislative to push ahead with the country’s second impeachment against sitting president. The president has immunity from criminal prosecution. Validity in impeachment is deliberated in the Constitutional Court. The president’s term ends in February 2018, and a presidential election is planned for December next year.
Justice Minister Kim Hyun-woong and Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs Choi Jae-kyong submitted their resignation to the president, said presidential spokesman Jung Youn-kuk. The president is yet to accept their resignations.
Sources say the two high-ranking officials tendered resignation letters to share the responsibility for a situation where the sitting president faces criminal investigations for the first time ever and was pinned as a prime suspect to major offenses of condoning longtime friend Choi Soon-sil in amassing illicit fortune and wielding unfettered influence in state and other affairs.
Kim took office 16 months ago and Choi joined the presidential aide team late last month.
Earlier, prosecutors announced that Park colluded with Choi and Park’s key secretaries - Ahn Chong-bum and Jeong Ho-seong - in considerable parts of the alleged criminal acts, turning the president`s status to a suspect from a witness.
Park and her attorney condemned the prosecution`s investigation results, claiming the interim results were based on “imagination and conjecture” and refused to comply with investigation from the state prosecutors. The government has passed a bill to form independent counselor that needs to be recommended by the opposition parties and endorsed by the president to separately investigate the case. The prosecution finding has built momentum for the legislative to push ahead with the country’s second impeachment against sitting president. The president has immunity from criminal prosecution. Validity in impeachment is deliberated in the Constitutional Court. The president’s term ends in February 2018, and a presidential election is planned for December next year.
By Nam Gi-hyun
[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]