S. Korean Assembly speaker resigns over money-for-vote scandal

SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- Parliamentary Speaker Park Hee-tae resigned Thursday holding himself responsible for the widening investigation into allegations that he bribed fellow lawmakers during campaigns for a 2008 leadership election of the ruling party, his spokesman said. The 74-year-old Park has been dogged by suspicions that he distributed cash-stuffed envelopes to fellow ruling party lawmakers and district party council members to muster votes for his bid to become the head of the then Grand National Party, which recently changed its name to the Saenuri Party. "I apologize to the people. I decided to step down from the post of Parliamentary speaker, feeling great responsibility over the matter in connection with me," said his spokesman Han Jong-tae, reading Park's statement during a hastily convened briefing at the National Assembly. "I will take all on my shoulders. If there are people involved (in the scandal), it's all my responsibility." The spokesman did not take questions from reporters, leaving after the brief news conference. The prosecutor-turned-lawmaker dropped his party affiliation to become the parliamentary speaker in 2010. The speaker's two-year term was supposed to end in May. It is the first time a legislative chief has stepped down over an investigation by prosecutors into a bribery scandal. The scandal first broke out in early January as Rep. Koh Seung-duk of the Saenuri Party disclosed that he received envelopes stuffed with 3 million won (US$2,682) from Park's campaign office before the July 3 election for the chairmanship. Koh also hinted that other lawmakers and party members might have been offered bribes during the campaign. Park's decision came after his former aide Koh Myung-jin confessed to prosecutors that he got back 3 million won from the whistle-blowing lawmaker and then reported to Kim Hyo-jae, now the senior secretary for political affairs to President Lee Myung-bak. The aide had earlier said he used the money for his personal purposes. With the latest findings, Park and presidential aide Kim, who both denied bribery allegations, are expected to face a summons by prosecutors sometime soon. There have been previous rumors some candidates tried to bribe fellow members to win party contests, often affected by nepotism and factional conflicts, but it is the first time that lawmakers have raised specific allegations about internal bribery. Political analysts say his resignation could affect the parliamentary elections in April, as opposition lawmakers could use the scandal to attack the ruling party and the Lee administration. The main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) called for a thorough investigation into the two political heavyweights and urged Kim Hyo-jae to voluntarily quit as well. "Park's offer to resign is a belated decision," Rep. Park Young-sun said. "It is sad that the assembly speaker should step down like this in this country." (END)