President apologizes for friend’s influence on state affairs

President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday apologized to the nation over the involvement of her friend, Choi Soon-sil, in state affairs.

Park made a brief apology in the afternoon following a series of reports about the alleged control of Choi over the president. JTBC, a TV network of the JoongAng Media Group, reported since last week that Choi received drafts of presidential speeches and sometimes edited them.

Park admitted that she sought help from Choi for her speeches since her presidential campaign of 2012.

“I continued to listen to her opinions for some time after I became president,” Park said. “But I stopped after the system in the Blue House was settled down.”

“I did so innocently, but I am truly sorry for troubling and hurting the people, no matter what my reason was,” Park said. “I offer a deep apology.”

BY SER MYO-JA [ser.myoja@Joongang.co.kr]