South Korean opposition leader steps down amid graft allegations
The Baruen or ‘Justice’ party’s leader is on trial for corruption and other offences but says ‘the truth will come out’
Seoul — A South Korean opposition party, which split from president Park Geun-hye’s grouping as she was engulfed in a corruption scandal last year, saw its own leader step down on Thursday over graft allegations. Dozens of members of the Bareun Party splintered from the main conservative group, then known as Saenuri, as accusations mounted against Park and joined forces with then opposition lawmakers to vote for her impeachment. The ousted president is now on trial for corruption and other offences. But the Bareun party’s own leader, Lee Hye-hoon, has been under increasing pressure since prosecutors opened an investigation last month into allegations that a businesswoman gave her cash and gifts worth about 60-million won ($50,000) on about a dozen occasions. She denies the accusations but stepped down on Thursday, telling her party lawmakers: "I apologise for causing concern because of my lack of virtue." She insisted she would clear her name and "the truth will come out sooner or l...
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