- Title: South Korea's Park says 'heart is breaking' over political scandal
- 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: "I have been working hard not to hurt people's feeling but I brought about the opposite effect. I feel like my heart is breaking." 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: "If needed, I will faithfully cooperate with prosecutors' investigation and I will also accept even an investigation by a special prosecutors' team." OFFICIALS STANDING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT, PARK GEUN-HYE, SAYING: "Once again, I admit my fault frankly and ask for the nation's forgiveness. I've already cut all my relations from my mind, but I will totally cut off personal relations." JOURNALISTS TYPING PARK BOWING AND WALKING AWAY
- Embargoed: 19th November 2016 03:09
- Keywords: South Korea Park Geun-hye apology political scandal president investigation
- Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00157136F9
- 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.
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, according to a Gallup poll released on Friday.
"I have been working hard not to hurt people's feeling but I brought about the opposite effect. I feel like my heart is breaking," said President Park in a televised address to journalists.
"If needed, I will faithfully cooperate with prosecutors' investigation and I will also accept even an investigation by a special prosecutors' team," Park added.
Park also said that prosecutors should clarify what happened and that everyone involved should be held accountable, including herself, and take responsibility if found guilty.
Park again apologised over the scandal and asked for a pardon.
"Once again, I admit my fault frankly and ask for the nation's forgiveness. I've already cut all my relations from my mind, but I will totally cut off personal relations," said Park.
Park closed her remarks with a bow and walked towards a row of journalists and repeated her apology. She did not take questions.
Park's old 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.
Park has faced growing calls from the public and political opponents to step down. No South Korean president has ever failed to finish their five-year term.
A former Park aide, Jeong Ho-seong, was arrested late on Thursday (November 3) on suspicion of leaking classified information, the second member of Park's former inner circle of advisers to be arrested this week. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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