The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday denied news reports that President Park Geun-hye had directed her aide to gather information about an ongoing probe into a corruption scandal involving her and her longtime friend.

The local daily Hankyoreh reported that Kim Jin-soo, presidential secretary for health and welfare, had stated that Park directed Kim Hyun-sook, senior presidential secretary for employment and welfare, to glean information about the probe.

"(Kim Hyun-sook) has never received any directive from President Park to gather information about the independent counsel's probe, nor has she directed any of her (Kim's) subordinates (to do so)," Jung Youn-kuk said in a text message sent to reporters.

Cheong Wa Dae's senior secretaries and aides attend a kick-off meeting for the year in early January. From right, front row: Chief economic affairs secretary Kang Seok-hoon, senior political affairs secretary Hur Won-jae, public affairs secretary Bae Sung-rye, senior secretary for foreign affairs and national security Kim Kyou-hyun, and senior secretary for personnel affairs Jung Jin-cheol . From right, back row: First deputy director of national security Cho Tae-yong, secretary for education and culture Kim Yong-seung, senior secretary for civil affairs Cho Dae-hwan, senior secretary for labor and welfare Kim Hyun-sook, and senior secretary for future strategy Hyun Dai-won (Yonhap)
Cheong Wa Dae's senior secretaries and aides attend a kick-off meeting for the year in early January. From right, front row: Chief economic affairs secretary Kang Seok-hoon, senior political affairs secretary Hur Won-jae, public affairs secretary Bae Sung-rye, senior secretary for foreign affairs and national security Kim Kyou-hyun, and senior secretary for personnel affairs Jung Jin-cheol . From right, back row: First deputy director of national security Cho Tae-yong, secretary for education and culture Kim Yong-seung, senior secretary for civil affairs Cho Dae-hwan, senior secretary for labor and welfare Kim Hyun-sook, and senior secretary for future strategy Hyun Dai-won (Yonhap)

The daily said that Park sought to obtain information about an inquiry into Choi Won-young, former senior presidential secretary for employment and welfare, over his alleged role in the process of the presidential office supporting the controversial merger of Samsung Group's two affiliates in 2015.

The country's largest conglomerate is suspected of having bribed Choi, the president's close confidante at the center of the scandal, in return for the state-run pension fund's backing of the merger between Samsung C&T Corp. and Cheil Industries Inc. (Yonhap)