Prime minister resigns in Seoul
Choe Sang-Hun International Herald Tribune
TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 2006
SEOUL Prime Minister Lee Hae Chan of South Korea resigned Tuesday for playing a wrong sport at a wrong time.
On March 1, a national holiday in South Korea, Lee went golfing with a group of businessmen, including at least one with a criminal record. Even on a holiday, his critics said, it was inappropriate for the prime minister to leave his office because the government was struggling with a railroad strike.
But the episode would have been shrugged off had Lee played soccer or gone hiking in the mountains. Instead, Lee, a hard- nosed politician noted for his standoffish relationship with the opposition, has had to apologize repeatedly in a futile attempt to win opposition and public sympathy.
Golf is widely popular in South Korea, an essential tool for upper- class socializing. The privileged spend vast amounts on lessons, greens fees and golf vacations. But golf also has a reputation as being a corrupt sport, so much so that government officials were once banned from playing it. Shady deals have often been discussed on the links and businesses reportedly pay greens fees for politicians and journalists.
"The prime minister expressed his apologies once again for causing trouble with careless conduct and expressed his intent to resign," the presidential Blue House said in a statement after Lee met Tuesday with President Roh Moo Hyun, who had just returned from Africa.
Roh accepted Lee's resignation, "taking into account various political considerations," said a presidential spokesman, Kim Man Soo.
The prime minister's post is largely ceremonial in South Korea, where power is concentrated in the presidency. But Lee, a five-term legislator, was an important ally of the president.
It was not the first time that golf had put him in trouble. Lee, 53, came under fire last year after playing golf while the government was struggling with a large forest fire and floods.
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