SEOUL, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's presidential chief of staff on Monday offered to resign amid an escalating outcry over recent vetting failures of cabinet nominees.
Seong Ghi-hong, presidential secretary for public relations, told a press briefing that Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik tendered his resignation to President Lee Jae Myung in the morning.
No reason for Kang's resignation offer was provided.
An unnamed Blue House official told Yonhap News Agency that Kang decided to resign to take full responsibility as head of the presidential staff after President Lee softened his stance and attributed recent political difficulties to his own shortcomings at a press conference last week.
A gender equality nominee recently withdrew her nomination, followed closely over the weekend by the withdrawal of the justice minister nominee amid growing controversies over their qualifications.
Kang headed the presidential personnel recommendation and vetting committee and faced pressure to resign over the flawed screening process. ■
