Rep. Choi Kyung-hwan, the chief secretary to the ruling Saenuri Party’s presidential candidate Park Geun-hye, offered his resignation on Sunday in an attempt to contain growing internal pressure for a sweeping reshuffle.

The three-term lawmaker, who has been accompanying the candidate to most of her campaign events, was seen by the reformists in the party as one of the major pro-Park figures hindering the party’s overhaul.

“There is no time for us to further wrangle over who is at fault. I earnestly ask that me taking responsibility and resigning put an end to the party’s disharmony and conflict,” he said in a press conference at the party’s office in Yeouido in Seoul.

The conservative party’s lawmakers skeptical of the pro-Park faction, such as Yoo Seong-min, vice chairman of the election committee, demanded last week that the entire leadership aside from Park step out of the limelight for the sake of victory in the presidential election.

Although the leadership dismissed the idea as unrealistic, the increasing calls weighed heavily on the former chairwoman, who is fighting a neck-and-neck race against the Democratic United Party’s Rep. Moon Jae-in and independent Ahn Cheol-soo.

In response to Choi’s resignation as her right-hand man, Park told reporters, “I respect that his decision came out of sincere loyalty.”

She also expressed her regret, saying, “It is not the time to denounce each other when we must harmonize. We must reflect upon ourselves instead and think what I have done for the party’s victory, and whether I am doing my best in my position.”

It remains to be seen whether Choi’s resignation will curb spreading discontentment among the party members or kick-start more resignations, observers said.

Choi, a former knowledge and economy minister, had been an entrusted aide of Park. His broad influence during the nomination for the April 11 general elections had been criticized by the reformists.

Hailing from Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, Choi became a public servant in 1978 and since accumulated expertise in economics. He earned a doctorate in economics from University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States in 1991. He entered politics in 2002 as a special economics aide to then-presidential candidate Lee Hoi-chang. He won his first parliamentary seat in 2004. 

By Lee Joo-hee (jhl@heraldcorp.com)