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S. Korean foreign minister quits in disgrace

By the CNN Wire Staff
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • A scandal erupted over the hiring of his daughter for a government post
  • The resignation is not expected to affect Seoul's foreign policy
RELATED TOPICS

(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.