Minister Park Jie-Won resigns in scandal

Minister of Culture and Tourism Park Jie-Won resigned Tuesday over his alleged involvement in the huge loan scandal of Hanvit Bank.

President Kim Dae-Jung named Rep. Kim Han-Gill of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party to replace Park.

Park, a close aide to President Kim, announced his resignation in a press conference.

¡°It would be an honorable deed for me to be investigated by the prosecution after resigning, rather than holding the minister¡¯s post,¡± he said at the press conference.

Park will go to the prosecutor¡¯s office in a couple of days, sources said.