Presidential chief of staff offers deep apology over sex scandal

South Korea's presidential chief of staff apologized Sunday over sex abuse allegations involving a now-fired spokesman, calling the case "unconditionally wrong," "very shameful" and "unacceptable by common sense."

Huh Tae-yeol said senior press secretary Lee Nam-ki already offered to resign right after returning from a trip to the United States, and that he and other presidential staff are also ready to take responsibility. Huh did not say whether Lee's resignation was accepted.

It was the latest apology from senior presidential officials over allegations that the former spokesman, Yoon Chang-jung, sexually abused his temporarily-hired secretary in her early 20s, while accompanying President Park Geun-hye on her first visit to Washington last week.

Lee, the senior press secretary, offered a similar apology on Friday.

"I am so apologetic and sorry that the embarrassing and unsavory incident involving a senior Cheong Wa Dae official deeply hurt the hearts of the people. This is unconditionally wrong so much so that I would have no words to offer even if I had ten mouths," he said.

"Apart from law, this case is a very shameful incident unacceptable by common sense," he said.

Huh lamented the case seriously tarnished Park's first visit to the U.S. that he said produced big achievements, such as strengthening the alliance with Washington, bolstering cooperation on North Korea policy and advancing economic cooperation.

"Though the person involved was fired immediately, we won't hesitate to take any other measures there are to take and we won't attempt to protect anyone or cover up anything," he said.

Huh said the senior press secretary offered to resign upon returning from the U.S. visit on Friday.

"With regard to this issue, anyone, including myself, won't avoid taking responsibility," he said. Huh also pledged to use the case as a chance to tighten discipline among presidential staff.

"I offer an apology again with my head down deeply," he said.

But the remark was seen as a rejection of the opposition Democratic Party's demand that the chief of staff and all other senior presidential secretaries resign en masse to take responsibility for the incident.