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| Kim Yong-joon |
By Jun Ji-hye
Kim Yong-joon, President-elect Park Geun-hye's nominee for prime minister, withdrew his nomination Tuesday amid persisting suspicion over his property deals and other potential ethical lapses.
In a statement read to the press by the transition team's spokesman Yoon Chang-jung, Kim wrote, "I am solely to blame for this. I didn't want to worry the public and cause further problems for the President-elect. That's why I made this decision."
This was the first time since the beginning of the history of the Constitution that the first prime minister nominee for the incoming administration has voluntarily stepped down.
The withdrawal could potentially affect the 60-year-old President-elect's appointment of Cabinet members.
Over whether he will also quit as the chairman of the team, he was quoted as saying, "I will abide by Park's choice."
Announcing the statement at the team's office in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Yoon said Kim met with Park in the afternoon and expressed his wish to step down.
Regarding suspicions that the opposition and media have raised, Yoon said, "Various rumors about Kim reported in the media are mostly untrue. I don't think there are tangible grounds for suspicion. The reports also didn't respect his personality."
Yoon added Kim will concretely explain truth about the numerous allegations at an appropriate time.
The main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) guardedly welcomed Kim's decision, describing it as "wise."
"It is regrettable to see Kim resign without undergoing the confirmation hearing. It shows there have been problems with President-elect Park's personnel management system," said DUP spokesman Park Yong-jin.
Since Park announced the nomination last Thursday, doubts have continued to surface over how Kim's family accumulated its property.
The most controversial acquisition was 660-square meters of land in Seocho-dong, Seoul, registered in 1975 under the names of his two sons who were 7 and 8 years old at the time. After the value of the land jumped due to plans to build public institutions in the area, including the Supreme Court, critics raised suspicions of possible speculation.
Analysts estimate Kim's family has earned 8 billion won ($7.3 million) through real estate deals.
Controversy about the exemption of Kim's sons from mandatory military service was raised as well. His first son was not conscripted because he was underweight in 1989 and the second son was not enlisted in 1994 because he had gout.
Kim's sons are speculated to have been questioned by military prosecutors in 1998 during an investigation into violations of mandatory service. Military duty is one of the nation's most sensitive issues.
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