Progressive Party calls for resignation an hour after province issues statement

"Duration of questioning alone does not indicate severity of charges"

South Gyeongsang Province spokesperson Yoo Hae-nam speaks at a press briefing at the provincial government's press center Monday morning, addressing the South Gyeongsang Provincial Police Agency's lengthy questioning of Governor Park Wan-su on suspicion of violating the Public Official Election Act. [South Gyeongsang Province]
South Gyeongsang Province spokesperson Yoo Hae-nam speaks at a press briefing at the provincial government's press center Monday morning, addressing the South Gyeongsang Provincial Police Agency's lengthy questioning of Governor Park Wan-su on suspicion of violating the Public Official Election Act. [South Gyeongsang Province]

South Gyeongsang Province issued a statement Monday regarding the police investigation into Governor Park Wan-su on suspicion of violating the Public Official Election Act.

Provincial spokesperson Yoo Hae-nam said at a morning briefing that "the fact that he underwent 13 hours of questioning does not in itself indicate the seriousness of any charges or establish criminal conduct." The province appeared to be drawing a clear line ahead of a press conference by the Progressive Party's South Gyeongsang chapter calling for Park's resignation, and bracing for the possibility of intensifying political attacks.

Yoo said Park "faithfully complied with police questioning from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, a total of 13 hours." He added that "the questioning ran long because investigators were verifying statements from multiple parties and confirming individual facts and circumstances," and that "interpreting the duration of questioning alone as evidence of serious charges or substantial proof is not consistent with the facts."

The province said it had cooperated with investigative procedures throughout the expanding probe, which has included a search and seizure at the provincial government building and questioning of related individuals. It said it would continue to cooperate fully with any legitimate investigation while making its position clear at the appropriate time regarding any facts or issues that emerge during the process.

The Progressive Party's South Gyeongsang chapter held a press conference at the South Gyeongsang Provincial Assembly Monday morning, calling on Park to apologize and resign.

The South Gyeongsang Provincial Police Agency's cyber investigation unit summoned Park as a suspect on Wednesday to question him in connection with allegations of illegal early campaigning and the establishment of an unauthorized campaign office by his candidate camp during the June 3 local elections.


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