(CNN) -- South Korea's foreign minister left his post in disgrace on Monday, state-run media said.
Yu Myung-hwan apologized for a scandal involving his ministry hiring his daughter, the Yonhap news agency said. Yu offered his resignation Saturday after public outcry about the hiring of his 35-year-old daughter last month. There were irregularities in the hiring process for the mid-level job, the public affairs ministry said Monday, according to Yonhap.
The resignation is not expected to affect Seoul's foreign policy, the news agency said. The search for a successor is expected to take time, though, because South Korean President Lee Myung-bak also needs a new prime minister. Lee's nominee recently pulled out amid an ethics scandal.
Yu's foreign service career spanned nearly 40 years. He was Lee's longest-serving Cabinet minister, holding the post since the start of the administration in February 2008, according to Yonhap.