A lawmaker of the ruling Grand National Party said Monday he would leave the party over a cyber attack on the national election watchdog involving one of his aides.
The move came after the party’s emergency leadership council demanded at its inaugural meeting last Tuesday that Rep. Choi Gu-sik step down. His aide admitted to masterminding an attack on the website of the National Election Commission.
The incident left the party, which is already suffering low approval ratings, reeling further, triggering a mass resignation of its leaders and the creation of an emergency leadership council.
Rep. Choi Gu-sik
“I am sorry to have caused trouble in the party and for the people,” the disgraced lawmaker said.
“Due legal actions will be taken on my employee’s wrongdoings, but I nevertheless feel the moral responsibility.”
Prosecutors earlier indicted Choi’s former assistant and four others on charges of attacking the webpage of the commission during the Oct. 26 by-elections last year in a bid to keep voter turnout low. A high turnout was deemed to be favorable to the opposition candidate in the Seoul mayoral race.
Unlike the police, the prosecution concluded that the crime was not a one-man operation and summoned Rep. Choi and other officials for questioning.
The lawmaker has, however, so far denied any involvement.
“I swear that I am in no way connected to the attack but resolve to act for the sake of the party,” he said.
“I believe that I will be given the chance to come back, once proven innocent.”
The cyber attack scandal came after the right-wing party struggled last year with a series of election defeats and falling public support.
The main opposition Democratic Unified Party made allegations that the presidential office may also have been involved.
Student councils of Seoul National University and several other schools pledged to adopt a resolution urging President Lee Myung-bak to clarify all related charges.
In an attempt renew itself for the upcoming general and presidential elections, the GNP named presidential hopeful Rep. Park Geun-hye as new interim chief and set up an emergency council.
The GNP also said it will form a civilian committee to verify that the ongoing prosecution investigation into the cyber attack scandal is fair and transparent.
By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldm.com)
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
