South Korean President Park Geun-hye has taken personal responsibility for the abuse of power scandal engulfing her administration and vowed to cooperate with any investigation.
“Everything is my fault and my mistake and I feel huge responsibility for this,” she said in a televised address.
For the second time in two weeks Park apologized for the scandal, which she said was making it difficult for her to sleep at night.
“My heart is breaking for having caused pain and to those government officials and people in the field and the industries who helped me, I have caused huge disappointment to you, I feel really sorry.”
On Wednesday prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for Park’s close friend and informal advisor, Choi Soon-sil, on charges of abuse of power and attempted fraud.
“I will do all I can to cooperate in the investigation and I have already told the secretariat’s office … to fully cooperate with the prosecutors’ investigation,” Park said on Thursday.
Park is accused of allowing Choi to view confidential documents and Presidential speeches despite not holding an official post.
Local media and opposition parties have accused Choi of using her relationship with Park to accumulate millions of dollars in donations to her foundations.
