South Korea’s foreign minister has resigned over accusations of nepotism involving his daughter, sources at the South Korean president’s office and ministry said yesterday, the latest senior official to step down because of scandal.
The resignation of Yu Myung-hwan, 64, comes a week after South Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s prime minister-designate and two other ministerial nominees stepped down amid allegations of corruption.
Yu’s daughter, Yu Hyun-sun, had worked as a contractor at the foreign ministry’s trade bureau between 2006 and last year, a foreign ministry source said. She was to sign a contract on Aug. 31 with the foreign ministry to work on trade matters but public criticism forced her to not take up the position.
PHOTO: REUTERS
“The foreign minister has resigned to accept responsibility for all the commotion caused by the ministry employing his daughter,” said a presidential source who spoke on condition of anonymity.
It was not immediately clear who would replace him.
Yu Myung-hwan unexpectedly apologized for the controversy surrounding his daughter at the foreign ministry on Friday, but that did not stop the mounting public fire over the controversial hiring. Lee’s response to Yu Myung-hwan’s offer to resign was terse.
“I got it,” Lee was quoted as saying by a presidential source.
Lee has suffered public criticism for his choice of officials but also for pardoning business leaders convicted of crimes.
Lee, who has ordered a thorough audit into possible rigging of the hiring process, will likely accept the resignation offer, Yonhap news agency said, citing an unidentified presidential official.
The resignation offer comes at a crucial time for South Korea as it is preparing to host the G20 summit in November.
However, it is not expected to affect South Korea’s foreign policy priorities that are focused on cementing close ties with Washington and isolating North Korea following the torpedoing of a South Korean naval ship in March that resulted in the death of 46 sailors.
It also comes amid diplomatic efforts mainly by China and North Korea to restart stalled talks aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear weapons programs. China has suggested a compromise among the six countries involved in the nuclear disarmament talks so that negotiations — which North Korea walked away from last year — can get back on track.
In Washington, South Korea’s nuclear envoy Wi Sung-lac met with US Deputy Secretary of State Jim Steinberg and others on Friday to discuss North Korea.
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