11/26 스터디 토픽

[Collins]

Park denies rumors about top officials' resignation

President continues to resist prosecutorial questioning, focuses on independent counsel probe

The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday denied rumors that two senior officials had resigned due to conflicts with President Park Geun-hye over the influence-peddling and corruption scandal.

It also hinted that the president would not respond to the prosecution’s repeated calls for questioning and that she would rather face an upcoming investigation by an independent counsel.

“The two officials offered to resign as they felt morally responsible over the prosecutorial probe result,” Presidential Spokesperson Jung Youn-kuk told reporters.

He was referring to Justice Minister Kim Hyun-woong and Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs Choi Jai-kyeong, whose resignation was confirmed Wednesday.

Their offers to step down from their posts come in the wake of the prosecution’s decision to indict the president as an accomplice to her confidante Choi Soon Sil’s wrongdoings. 

Their moves were largely taken as a sign of insubordination to the embattled state chief. They were also seen as indicating a divide within the Blue House, especially since presidential adviser Choi had only been in his post for less than a month, having been named on Oct. 30 and receiving his letter of appointment last Friday.

“(Park) has not yet accepted their resignations,” the spokesman added, claiming that the decision was for the president to make.
 

Cheong Wa Dae. Yonhap

The resignations of the two top officials are expected to pose a challenge to the Blue House’s response to the ongoing investigation, as Kim was the top supervisor for the prosecution and Choi the presidential chief for legal affairs.

Meanwhile, Cheong Wa Dae continued to dodge the prosecution’s repeated calls for face-to-face questioning of the president.

The previous day, the prosecutors had issued another ultimatum, demanding that Park show up for questioning by Nov. 29 at the latest.

Their reinforced stance came in line with a seize and search operation by a special team affiliated with the senior presidential secretary’s office to find further evidence concerning former senior secretary Woo Byung-woo. Woo is currently under investigation for a separate set of corruption allegations, but investigators are said to be seeking to expand the probe to his involvement in the Choi case.

“The attorney will answer (the question),” was the only response from Jung, when asked about the president’s plans concerning the prosecution’s calls.

The president’s legal representative, Yoo Yeong-ha, had earlier pledged, following the prosecution’s decision to indict Park, that the president would no longer cooperate with the investigation.

In contrast to her resistance against the prosecutorial probe, President Park gave her consent to letting the opposition recommend candidates for an independent counsel, adding momentum to preparations for the upcoming investigation.

“President Park has signed the document, which will be delivered to the National Assembly within the day,” Jung said.

Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun had on the previous day sent an official letter to the president, requesting that she ask the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea and the runner-up People’s Party to pick two candidates to lead the counsel.

Within five days of receiving the president’s signed letter, the parties have to recommend two candidates, among which Park is to make the final selection.

The presidential house, meanwhile, refused to elaborate on the possibility of impeachment, an ongoing move led by opposition parties and with the participation of some members of the ruling Saenuri Party. 

Among the latter was Rep. Kim Moo-sung, the party’s former chairman and a once-anticipated presidential aspirant, who has vowed to give up his presidential candidacy and to take part in impeaching Park.

“The National Assembly has not yet moved to that stage,” the spokesperson said. 

[Collins]

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