Chairwoman Choo Mi-ae of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea(MPK) on Tuesday slammed President Park Geun-hye's proposal a day earlier of a constitutional revision as an attempt to cover up snowballing allegations around her longtime confidant Choi Soon-sil.
The criticism came after a local cable channel reported that copies of dozens of Park's speeches were found in Choi's computer and that Choi received the draft versions before the speeches were delivered.
Choo held a news conference at the National Assembly and called for an apology by the president on the matter and an investigation into Choi.
The opposition chief said that a thorough investigation into the widening scandal and budget plans for next year should precede a revision to the Constitution.
Minor opposition People's Party interim chief Park Jie-won also criticized that if Choi reviewed and edited presidential speeches as reported, it would be a serious interference in state affairs.
He added that if the presidential office wishes to propose a constitutional revision, the president should defect from the ruling party first.
Meanwhile, Chairman Lee Jung-hyun of the ruling Saenuri Party said that he is looking into the latest allegation, adding that if any irregularities are uncovered, the party will call for stern and fundamental measures.
Saenuri Floor Leader Chung Jin-suk called for the immediate resignation by Presidential Civil Affairs Secretary Woo Byung-woo, claiming that Woo is to blame for the Choi scandal.
Chung also criticized opposition parties for raising questions about the president's proposal of a constitutional revision.
Source: KBS World Radio
