S Korean PM formally steps down
Lee Hae-chan formally stepped down as South Korea’s prime minister today, a day after the president accepted his resignation following strong opposition criticism over Lee playing golf during a national railway strike.
Lee held a farewell ceremony at his office after formally turning in his resignation to President Roh Moo-hyun, his office said.
“I hope you take good care of the administration’s state affairs,” Lee told government officials at the ceremony.
Lee had been under pressure to leave his post after a golf outing on March 1, a national holiday that coincided with the start of a railway workers’ walkout, when South Koreans expected him to oversee the government’s response to the strike.
Roh accepted Lee’s resignation Tuesday after ruling party leaders urged him to defuse the scandal ahead of local elections in May.
Vice Education Minister Lee Gi-woo, who had played golf with Lee, also tendered his resignation today.
The prime minister’s post is a largely ceremonial job with little real power, which is concentrated in the president’s office.
Lee’s departure as prime minister is expected to touch off jockeying for the job inside the already divided ruling Uri Party.
The party’s new head, former Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, is eager to prove he can one day run the country.
