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1st LD Writethru: S.Korean prime minister offers to resign over bribery scandal

Xinhua, April 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

South Korean Prime Minister Lee Wan- koo offered to President Park Geun-hye his resignation as the second-highest administrative post amid the growing suspicion that he was involved in a bribery scandal, Yonhap News Agency reported Tuesday citing a senior official of the ruling Saenuri Party.

The official was quoted as saying that Lee expressed his resignation offer to President Park who is on her trip to Latin American nations, after deep considerations as his resignation may cause vacuum in state affairs management while the president is on a state visit.

Both the prime minister's office and the presidential office officially confirmed the resignation offer.

The cabinet meeting, which was originally scheduled to be presided over by Prime Minister Lee, will be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Choi Kyung-hwan.

Before leaving for Latin America on April 16 for a 12-day state visit, President Park said she would decide on Lee's fate after returning home from the travel early next week. Endi