Two former presidential secretaries are currently under investigation over their alleged involvement in an influence-peddling scandal surrounding President Park Geun-hye and her confidante, according to the government.
In a document written for the parliamentary probe over the scandal, the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office said Kim Ki-choon, former presidential chief of staff, and Woo Byung-woo, ex-senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, have been named as suspects in the scandal that has been rocking the country.
Kim Ki-choon (left) then-presidential chief of staff, speaks during a parliamentary hearing at the National Assembly on July 7, 2014. (Yonhap)
The parliamentary probe kicked off earlier in the day, receiving reports from the ministries of culture and sports, justice, and health and welfare. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the National Pension Service were also included on Wednesday's report list.
Kim, who served as the chief of staff from 2013 to 2015, is suspected of abusing his power to order the vice culture minister to dismiss six of its senior officials in October 2014. Three out of the six are known to have actually left office.
He is also accused of overlooking, or even protecting, Choi Soon-sil, Park's longtime friend at the center of the scandal, to meddle in state affairs. Choi, indicted earlier this month, holds no official government post nor has any policy experience.
Woo is also under the prosecution's investigation on charges of dereliction of duty over suspicions he overlooked Choi's alleged irregularities while serving as the senior presidential secretary. (Yonhap)
