Park turns down senior aide's offer to step down

By Kang Seung-woo

President Park Geun-hye has rejected the offer to resign by her senior secretary for civil affairs Choi Jai-kyeong, Cheong Wa Dae said, Friday.

However, Park is still trying to persuade Justice Minister Kim Hyun-woong to withdraw his offer to step down.

Choi and Kim tendered their resignation, earlier this week, accepting moral responsibility for the prosecution labeling Park an “accomplice” in its investigation of a scandal involving the President Park and her confidant Choi Soon-sil, according to the presidential office. The interim probe results, unveiled Sunday, tagged Park as a prime suspect in allegations that Choi meddled in state affairs to benefit her own interests.

According to a Cheong Wa Dae official, Park met Choi, Thursday, asking him to withdraw his resignation and return to work and Choi, who received his certificate of appointment last Friday, agreed to do so.

“The presidential office is still talking to the justice minister, who is strongly determined to quit, to change his decision and whether he will withdraw his resignation will be finalized over the weekend,” the official said, adding that Park will officially announce this.