Justice Minister, senior presidential secretary offer to quit

By Park Si-soo

Justice Minister Kim Hyun-woong and senior presidential secretary for civil affairs Choi Jai-kyeong have offered to resign, the presidential office said Wednesday, in the first sign of a breakup in President Park Geun-hye’s Cabinet and secretary lineup, amid the growing corruption scandal involving Park and her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil.

The two reportedly submitted their letters of resignation early this week. It is unknown whether the scandalized President will accept them.

Kim is in charge of controlling the prosecution with the prosecutor general and the senior presidential secretary for civil affairs. The resignations, if accepted, will see the President temporarily lose control of the prosecution that has pointed to her as a “criminal suspect” in the scandal.

The prosecution is putting increasing pressure on Park to accept its request for face-to-face questioning. But Park has vowed not to cooperate after the prosecution announced its interim report on the scandal Sunday.

That report identified Park as a “criminal suspect.” Her lawyer called the report a “house of cards” built without objective evidence.

Kim said on Monday: “It’s appropriate (for me) to quit the job in this situation.” He did not elaborate. Choi remains silent.