[Yonhap News Photo]
South Korea's disgraced President Park Geun-hye said Friday she was ready to face an investigation by state prosecutors or an independent counsel, blaming herself for inviting a political crisis prompted by her long-time female friend and spiritual partner.
Park, who took office in early 2013 as South Korea's first female president, said she was suffering from a guilty conscience for failing to stop Choi Soon-sil from abusing authority. "It's all my fault," the president said in a televised speech, asking prosecutors to conduct an unlimited probe.
"If needed, I will sincerely face an investigation by prosecutors," Park said in a voice choked with emotion, adding she was also ready to allow a special probe by an independent counsel, as demanded by opposition parties, and take responsibility if prosecutors discover her wrongdoing.
So far, prosecutors have arrested Choi on charges of attempted fraud and abuse of authority as well as two former presidential aides who stepped down Sunday.
Apparently aware of mounting public calls for her immediate resignation, Park appealed for the early normalization of government administration, expressing concern about a power vacuum, as the scandal has seriously damaged her image and authority. This week, Park's approval rating crashed to five percent, the lowest for sitting South Korean presidents, according to a Gallup Korea survey.
In a speech last week, Park apologized for leaking her classified speeches to Choi, sparking widespread public anger. Jeong Ho-seong, a former presidential aide, was placed under emergency arrest shortly before midnight Thursday on suspicion of passing classified files including Park's speeches to Choi.
Jeong, who has long accompanied Park as her secretary in charge of speechwriting and personal affairs, is suspected of going between the president and Choi.
Choi was also accused of siphoning off money from two public foundations created with cash donations from dozens of conglomerates. Ahn Jong-Beom, one of Park's confidants, was arrested this week for his alleged role in peddling influence to collect money from businessmen.
As her new prime minister, Park has named Kim Byong-joon, a 62-year-old college professor who served as a presidential aide for South Korea's late liberal president Roh Moo-hyun. Opposition parties refused to approve the nomination, accusing the president of using former opposition heavyweights to form a protective shield around her.
In her speech Friday, the president described Choi as a friend who "stuck by" her during difficult times and provided mental consolation when she led a "lonely" life at the sprawling presidential mansion. Park, however, refuted wild rumors about her possible connection with cultism or shamanism.
The daughter of a cult leader who was once seen as Park's anchor has been portrayed as a Rasputin-like figure whose influence extended to advising on key appointments and policy issues. Grigori Rasputin was a Russian peasant, mystical faith healer, and trusted friend of the family of Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia.
Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
