Seoul: The prime minister-designate of South Korea on Thursday said that President Park Geun-Hye may be investigated for an alleged corruption and influence peddling scandal involving a close ally of the head of state.
"There are different interpretations of the Constitution. But I believe we can conduct an investigation into Park," Kim Byong-joon, who still needs to be endorsed by the National Assembly to take up the role, said.
"As she is still the head of state, however, we should be prudent about the process and methods," Yonhap news quoted Byong-joon as saying.
Kim said the President, who is facing her worst political crisis since taking office in 2013, also asked him to take charge of economic and social affairs as the prime minister.
The National Assembly has 20 days to confirm the prime ministerial nomination which may prove difficult as the opposition parties, which have a combined majority in the assembly, have announced a boycott, Efe news reported.
On Thursday, the president also appointed a new chief of staff and top secretarial staff.
