In a message delivered by her senior press secretary, she also called for a thorough investigation into special pardons granted by previous administrations as part of efforts to achieve political reform.

“It is difficult for the people to accept the special pardons repeatedly granted to Sung. It undermined the rule of law and eventually led to the present situation that could have been avoided,” Park said through Kim Sung-woo, senior presidential secretary on public affairs.

“We have to reveal the truth on this problem and fix it institutionally to break the chain of corruption and for political reform.”

Kim said he was reading the president’s message because Park was not in a condition to make public appearances.

The president also expressed regrets over the resignation of Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo.

Park’s message was delivered a day after she accepted Lee’s resignation.

Lee offered to quit last week during Park’s trip to Latin America. He came under bipartisan pressure to step down over his involvement in graft allegations.

Lee was one of eight political heavyweights whose names were on a memo left by Sung before he committed suicide earlier in the month.

(christory@heraldcorp.com)