Lee’s aide offers to resign over vote-buying scandal

Lee’s aide offers to resign over vote-buying scandal

Kim Hyo-jae By Park Si-soo A senior presidential secretary offered to resign Friday, holding himself responsible for a vote-buying scandal that is rocking the ruling Saenuri Party ahead of the April 11 general election. Kim Hyo-jae, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, tendered his resignation to President Lee Myung-bak, according to Cheong Wa Dae. President Lee is expected to accept it after returning Saturday from a trip to four Arab nations. “I’m sorry for causing concern to the public,” presidential spokesman Park Jeong-ha quoted Kim as saying. “I will take full political responsibility.” His resignation came one day after National Assembly Speaker Park Hee-tae resigned from the post claiming responsibility for the cash-for-votes scandal which allegedly took place during the 2008 leadership race of the then ruling Grand National Party (GNP). Park won the race. Kim was the policy monitoring chief for Park’s election camp before being appointed senior presidential secretary last year. Kim has been beleaguered by suspicions his former aide delivered envelopes of cash to some GNP lawmakers before the party’s convention in July 2008 to seek their votes to make Park GNP leader. Both Park and Kim have denied their involvement in the scandal. The two are expected to be questioned by the prosecution in the days to come. Prosecutors have reportedly obtained hard evidence and testimony backing their involvement. The scandal erupted in early January after Rep. Koh Seung-duk divulged that he was offered a cash envelop from Park’s campaign officer before the party convention. The incident led the ruling party to launch an emergency committee, which is now pushing forward a set of reform measures to make it transparent and restore public confidence.