Ethics team to accompany Park on overseas trips

A team of ethics officials will travel together with President Park Geun-hye when she visits foreign countries to make sure that no traveling officials engage in any misconduct, such as the alleged sexual abuse by a now-fired
spokesman, officials said Tuesday.
   
The top office came up with the measure as it reviewed the entire course of Park's visit to the United States last week during which then spokesman Yoon Chang-jung allegedly made unwanted sexual advances to a young intern working as his secretary.
   
On Monday, Park apologized over the scandal, and pledged to tighten discipline among officials.   

"All of us must have felt deeply this time how important the conduct of public officials is," Park said during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday. "Each ministry should firmly establish discipline among government officials in order not to breach the people's trust."
   
Yoon, 56, allegedly grabbed the buttocks of the victim in her early 20s after drinking with her in Washington on Tuesday night, hours after Park held summit talks with U.S. President Barack Obama. He was also accused of presenting himself naked to her when she came to his hotel room.
   
Yoon was fired as soon as the case was made known and returned home before Park ended her visit.
   
But he has flatly denied the allegations, claiming he only patted her on the waist in a gesture to encourage her to do a better job and that he was wearing his underpants when she came to his hotel room.
   
But presidential officials said that Yoon had admitted during an interview with Cheong Wa Dae ethics officers upon his return from the U.S. that he did touch her buttocks and that he was wearing nothing when she dropped in on him in his hotel room.
   
South Korea has asked the U.S. for a swift investigation into the case.
   
Yoon's superior, senior presidential press secretary Lee Nam-ki, has offered to resign to take responsibility for the case, though he himself was not involved in the abuse. Lee did not come to work Tuesday as Park mulls whether to accept his resignation.
   
Presidential officials said they are awaiting Park's decision. (Yonhap News)