- Title: South Korea's Park says "hard to forgive myself" for political crisis
- Date: 4th November 2016
- Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (NOVEMBER 4, 2016) (REUTERS) JOURNALISTS GATHERED AT NEWS BRIEFING ROOM AT SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT PARK GEUN-HYE WALKING TOWARD PODIUM AND BOWING JOURNALISTS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT, PARK GEUN-HYE, SAYING: "It is hard to forgive myself and sleep at night with feelings of sorrow." JOURNALISTS TYPING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT, PARK GEUN-HYE, SAYING: "It is very miserable and regrettable that a particular individual is said to have taken profits and committed several unlawful acts, while we are working on a job in hopes of helping the national economy and people's lives." SOUTH KOREAN DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL SECURITY OFFICE, KIM KWAN-JIN (FAR RIGHT), STANDING AND SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENTIAL OFFICIALS TALKING TO EACH OTHER (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT, PARK GEUN-HYE, SAYING: "There is even talk that I fell into a cult or I held a shamanistic ritual at the Blue House. I am saying clearly: none of this is true." OFFICIALS STANDING PARK BOWING AND WALKING AWAY
- Embargoed: 19th November 2016 04:05
- Keywords: South Korea Park Geun-hye president apology
- Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015713805
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: South Korean President Park Geun-hye said in a tearful apology on Friday (November 4) that her "heart was breaking" over a political scandal that has engulfed her administration and said she will cooperate with prosecutors in their investigation.
In a brief televised address to journalists, Park said that prosecutors should clarify what happened and that everyone involved should be held accountable, including herself, and take responsibility if found guilty.
"It is hard to forgive myself and sleep at night with feelings of sorrow," Park, 64, said, her voice trembling.
Park's long-time friend, Choi Soon-sil, 60, is alleged to have used her closeness to the president to meddle in state affairs, and her lawyer has said he expects prosecutors to look into whether she inappropriately received classified documents and benefited unlawfully from two non-profit organisations.
"It is very miserable and regrettable that a particular individual is said to have taken profits and committed several unlawful acts, while we are working on a job in hopes of helping the national economy and people's lives," Park said, referring to Choi.
Choi, who has been in custody since Monday (October 31), told South Korea's Segye Ilbo newspaper last week that she received drafts of Park's speeches after Park's election victory but denied she had access to other official material, influenced state affairs or benefited financially.
Choi's late father, Choi Tae-min, headed a now-defunct religious sect and was close to Park during and after the presidency of her father, Park Chung-hee, who was assassinated in 1979.
Choi Soon-sil has been portrayed in Korean media as having inherited her father's influence over Park, while local media have also characterised Choi Tae-min's religious group as a cult and alleged that Park held a shamanistic ritual at the presidential compound.
"There is even talk that I fell into a cult or I held a shamanistic ritual at the Blue House. I am saying clearly: none of this is true," Park rejected those allegations.
Park has been rocked by an influence peddling scandal involving an old friend, sending her approval rating to an all-time low of just 5 percent, a 12 percentage point drop from last week, the lowest since such polling began in 1988, according to a Gallup poll released on Friday. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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