The Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Prime Minister Chung Un-chan has offered to resign for failing to get parliamentary approval to reject the planned relocation of government offices out of Seoul.
Chung expressed his intention to step down during a private meeting with President Lee Myung-bak on July 4, the Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported on July 5, citing an unidentified government official.
In response, Lee asked Chung to “carefully” decide upon his resignation, the newspaper said.
Meanwhile, both the presidential Blue House and the prime minister's office said they could not confirm Chung's reported resignation offer.
Chung had led Lee's efforts to spike the previous government's plan to relocate more than half of 15 government ministries in Seoul and a nearby site, about 160 kilometres to the south, citing possible inefficiency and waste of taxpayers’ money.
The National Assembly, however, voted down Lee's push last week, forcing him to start implementing the original plan./.
Chung expressed his intention to step down during a private meeting with President Lee Myung-bak on July 4, the Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported on July 5, citing an unidentified government official.
In response, Lee asked Chung to “carefully” decide upon his resignation, the newspaper said.
Meanwhile, both the presidential Blue House and the prime minister's office said they could not confirm Chung's reported resignation offer.
Chung had led Lee's efforts to spike the previous government's plan to relocate more than half of 15 government ministries in Seoul and a nearby site, about 160 kilometres to the south, citing possible inefficiency and waste of taxpayers’ money.
The National Assembly, however, voted down Lee's push last week, forcing him to start implementing the original plan./.
