South Korea's Construction Minister Chu Byung-jik and two senior presidential secretaries offered to resign on Tuesday, holding themselves responsible for the failure of the government's real estate policy, the office of President Roh Moo-hyun said.
The two presidential aides are Lee Baek-man, senior presidential secretary for public information, and Chung Moon-soo, a presidential economic policy advisor, Cheong Wa Dae said.
"Minister Chu, Lee and Chung separately tendered their resignations to President Roh via the presidential chief of staff Tuesday morning," Roh's spokesman Yoon Tae-young said.
"They offered to step down in order to relieve political burdens on the president, but it is not clear yet whether the president will accept their resignations," he said.
Despite a string of strong anti-speculation policies, the nation's property market has spiraled out of control lately, resulting in a steep hike in apartment prices, particularly in the capital area.
Chu and Chung are directly responsible for the failed real estate policy, while Lee triggered a public uproar over his suspected speculation in Seoul apartments.
The country's political parties welcomed their resignations and urged the government to work harder to regain trust from the public as well as from the market.
Woo Sang-ho, spokesman for the ruling Uri Party, said his party wishes the resignations of Chu, Lee and Chung wil pave the way for the stability of the local property market.
"We think they offered to resign to help lessen political burdens on President Roh. We hope their resignations will be a consolation to the public depressed by the skyrocketing property prices," Woo said.
The main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) welcomed the resignations and urged the president to offer his own apology for the failed real estate policy.
"The Roh government's real estate policy ran counter to the market principles. It is natural for Minister Chu to step down.
Other officials involved in the enforcement of the failed policy should also go," GNP spokesman Yoo Ki-jun said.
Seoul, Nov. 14 (Yonhap News)
Construction minister, Roh aides offer to resign over failed real estate policy |
