Park's key aide leaves party

Hong Sa-duck accused of bribery

By Kang Hyun-kyung

Hong Sa-duck, a key aide to Rep. Park Geun-hye, left the ruling Saenuri Party, Tuesday, a day after the election watchdog accused him of having received money illegally from a businessman.

In a hand-written statement, Hong said he had decided to leave the party because he didn’t want the accusation to be a political burden to Rep. Park, the ruling party’s presidential candidate.

“I will stop all my activities from now on until prosecutors clear me of the accusation,” he said.

The fresh allegation involving the aide to Park comes as she faces criticism for supporting the military rule of her father, the late former President Park Chung-hee.

Claiming his innocence, Hong expressed hope that the prosecution will wrap up their investigation as soon as possible..

Hong denied the allegation that he had received some 60 million won from a businessman identified by only his surname Jin before the April 11 National Assembly elections. The former lawmaker said he and the businessman were close but that no such an illicit deal occurred.

The main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) criticized the move, saying the ruling party virtually expelled the Park aide to protect its presidential candidate.

During a briefing, Rep. Jung Sung-ho, a DUP spokesman, commented that the Park camp was striving to cut off links with Hong while staying mum on calls for an apology for the alleged bribery scandal.

“Hong is the insiders’ insider of the Park camp,” Jung said. “He justified the controversial legacy of the late President Park Chung-hee. He also encouraged Park’s aides, who are aged 55 or older, to keep a distance of 5.5 meters away from the presidential candidate so that they are not spotted by TV cameras as their presence doesn’t help Park’s image.”

On Monday, the National Election Commission (NEC) said Hong violated the election law as he received money from the businessman. The election watchdog handed over the case to prosecutors, saying it had evidence supporting this.

Prosecutors are expected to question the former lawmaker and the businessman next week at the earliest.

If the allegation is found to be true, this would deal a blow to Park, the leading presidential candidate as her image will inevitably be tarnished ahead of the election if her aide is found to be involved in irregularities.

Hong served as a chief campaign strategist of the ruling Saenuri Party for the April 11 parliamentary elections.

He was called upon by Park to run in the battleground Jongno district on the Saenuri Party ticket during the election.

The veteran politician, however, was defeated by Rep. Chung Sye-kyun of the main opposition DUP by a wide margin.