Vice Justice Minister Resigns for Alleged Bribe Taking

Vice Justice Minister Kim Sang-hee submitted his resignation to Cheong Wa Dae, after it was revealed that his name was mentioned during a conversation bugged by the National Security Planning Agency as one of the prosecutors that would be given money from Samsung.

Kim apologized in his resignation to citizens, saying he was very sorry for causing anxiety though he did not mean to. He added, “I have not received any money from the Samsung Group or the former chairman of JoongAng Ilbo Hong Seok-hyeon, on any pretext. I decided to leave office not to cause any harm to the impartiality and transparency of the on-going prosecution’s investigation.”

Kim also said, “I was on close terms with former chairman Hong, my second cousin, from childhood, but we have not seen each other often since he became the president of JoongAng Ilbo in 1994,” adding, “I will offer sincere cooperation to the prosecution so that the truth can be found out.”

jin0619@donga.com