'It's all my fault. I will accept investigation,' says South Korean President

President Park Geun-hye bows in apology for a corruption scandal involving her and her close confidant Choi Soon-sil while delivering a nationally televised address at Cheong Wa Dae, Friday. Offering her second apology in 10 days for the scandal, Park said she will accept investigation by the prosecution and a separate independent counsel investigation, if necessary. / Yonhap

President to face prosecution probe

By Jun Ji-hye

President Park Geun-hye said Friday that she will accept a prosecution investigation into the sprawling Choi Soon-sil scandal, and even face an investigation by an independent counsel, if necessary.

She may become the first-ever sitting head of state facing an investigation by the prosecution in modern Korean history.

In an emotional nine-minute address to the nation, Park apologized for the scandal for the second time in 10 days amid growing public calls for her to step down.

"It's all my fault and my mistake. I feel a huge responsibility deep in my heart," she said. "If necessary, I will let prosecutors investigate me. I am also willing to accept an investigation by an independent counsel."

The address came a day after the Seoul Central District Court issued a warrant to formally arrest Park's longtime confidant, Choi, over alleged abuse of authority and other irregularities in the scandal that has threatened the incumbent administration.

Choi, 60, a friend of Park since the 1970s, has allegedly interfered in state affairs and illegally profited using her relationship with the President.

Prosecutors suspect that Choi collaborated with An Chong-bum, former presidential secretary for policy coordination, to pressure conglomerates including Samsung Electronics to donate nearly 80 billion won ($70 million) to two nonprofit foundations, Mir and K-Sports.

The President is also suspected of having played a role in raising funds from firms to establish the foundations, purportedly dedicated to promoting Korean culture and sports. The opposition parties claimed that the foundations were apparently intended to be the home base for Park's post-retirement activities.

If she is investigated, Park will be the first leader in Korean history to undergo an investigation while in office.

"Anybody will have to take responsibility if an ongoing investigation exposes his or her fault," she said. "I will do so, too."

Under the Constitution, however, a president has immunity from criminal prosecution while in office unless he or she commits a crime equivalent to treason or insurrection. But some say a president can still be subject to an investigation and indicted after stepping down.

The latest address followed her terse public apology, Oct. 25, regarding the scandal, during which she admitted that Choi, despite having no official standing, reviewed more than 40 presidential speeches before their delivery dates.

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Since then, a number of allegations have been raised including one that Choi had access to classified materials related to national security and foreign affairs.

Park's decision to accept the prosecution investigation comes amid continuously deepening public opinion and her falling approval rating even after she offered a public apology, and conducted a surprise Cabinet reshuffle including replacing the prime minister.

A Gallup Korea poll released Friday showed that Park's approval rating plummeted to hit a record low of 5 percent, while a Realmeter survey conducted Wednesday showed that 70.4 percent of respondents believe Park should be examined by the prosecution.

Observers in legal circles also believe that an investigation of Park is inevitable as An, one of Park's top secretaries who resigned Sunday following the scandal, reportedly testified before prosecutors that the establishment of the Mir and K-Sports foundations was ordered by the President.

People's Party floor leader Rep. Park Jie-won earlier alleged that the President even called in the heads of conglomerates to Cheong Wa Dae and forced them to donate money to the foundations allegedly controlled by Choi.

"I will fully cooperate in unearthing the truth behind the allegations," President Park said. "The prosecution should not be fettered by anything and must clearly reveal the truth, based upon which it should strictly mete out justice."

Regarding the foundations, Park said the original aim was to help the national economy and the lives of the people.

"I feel devastated after having learned that a certain person profited while having committed unlawful acts," she said.

Opposition parties criticized this comment, claiming it was the President's attempt to separate herself from Choi.

‘No ties to religious cult'

Park, in addition, denied all allegations linking her to a religious cult.

Due to her decades-long ties to Choi's family, Park has been rumored to be deeply engaged in some form of shamanism, given that Choi is the fifth daughter of Park's late mentor Choi Tae-min who founded a religious cult.

Park also suggested holding a meeting with leaders of ruling and opposition parties to discuss ways of resolving the national crisis, but the rival parties reacted differently.

The ruling Saenuri Party and the second-largest opposition People's Party responded positively to the offer, but the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea said it would accept the offer only after the President accepts its three conditions including the withdrawal of her decision to nominate Kim Byong-joon, a former close aide to the late President Roh Moo-hyun, as prime minister to replace Hwang Kyo-ahn.

During the address, Park did not mention anything about calls on her to leave the ruling party or delegate most of her power to a prime minister recommended through a bipartisan agreement. The rival parties have been discussing these measures in the National Assembly as a means to resolve the national crisis caused by the Choi scandal.