Pres. secretary ignored report on justice official`s scandal

The Office of the Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs is under criticism for having ignored at least three times a police report that implicated Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui in a sex bribery scandal.

According to law enforcement officials Friday, the presidential secretary office asked police to check the allegation against Kim early this month, about 10 days before his nomination for the post. A police source is said to report to the secretary`s office that Kim has been involved in the sex bribery scandal, though police had not secured video evidence.

The secretary’s office is also known to have failed to report the scandal to President Park Geun-hye until the media broke the story.

egija@donga.com