Park accepts resignation of aide over Yoon scandal

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Park accepts resignation of aide over Yoon scandal

President Park Geun-hye yesterday accepted the resignation of her chief public affairs aide over the disgraceful sexual scandal involving her former spokesman.

“Park formally accepted today the resignation of Lee Nam-ki, senior public relations secretary,” Kim Haing, spokeswoman of the Blue House, said yesterday.

“As you all know, he had tendered his resignation to take responsibility [for the incident].”

During Park’s trip to the United States earlier this month, her spokesman, Yoon Chang-jung, became a target of the American police investigation over his alleged sexual assault of a young Korean-American intern.

Yoon secretly returned to Korea in the middle of the trip and the Blue House, particularly his immediate supervisor Lee, was accused of handling the situation poorly.

Kim said yesterday nothing was decided on who will be Lee’s successor.

She also said she has no information on who in the Blue House will temporarily act on Lee’s behalf.

Lee tendered his resignation on May 10, and Park said in a meeting with political news editors at the Blue House on May 15 that the responsible senior aide will be held accountable for the situation, revealing her intention to let him go.

Kim said yesterday that no other presidential aide will be held accountable from now on over Yoon’s scandal, while the investigative authorities will have a further probe into Yoon’s alleged sexual abuse.

Separately, an investigation is ongoing in Washington by the local police.


By Ser Myo-ja [myoja@joongang.co.kr]
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