Calm, intelligent, loyal and strategically-mined, Hong Sa-duk had been regarded as a critical asset of Saenuri Party presidential candidate Park Geun-hye’s campaign.

The veteran politician, however, became a liability with his remarks late last month hailing former President Park Chung-hee’s iron-fisted rule.

Hong, who has served in parliament six times, is now embroiled in a political funding scandal, further forcing his boss into a corner.

The National Election Commission on Monday filed a complaint asking the prosecution to investigate allegations that Hong received some 55 million won ($49,000) from a businessman in South Gyeongsang Province.

He denied the charges but swiftly exited the party Tuesday, saying he did not want to be a burden for Park ahead of the December presidential election.

The former lawmaker has been dubbed “Park Geun-hye’s man.” He headed her primary campaigns this year and in 2007. He is regarded as the most influential member of the so-called pro-Park faction in the Saenuri Party.

In 2008, he led a group of Park supporters when they defected from the Grand National Party, the precursor to the Saenuri Party, after being denied parliamentary candidacy and sidelined from key party posts.

The allegations of his irregularities are expected to deliver another political blow to candidate Park, especially following a series of other damaging claims surrounding Park’s associates and party officials.

The scandal offered the opposition camp a chance to question Park’s qualifications for president.

“One may judge a person through the actions of his or her associates,” said DUP spokesperson Rep. Jung Sung-ho.

“Rep. Park and her aides are yet lost in the memories of the bygone 1970s and its outdated political customs.”

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)