Yoon Chang-jung was sacked over allegations that he had sexually harassed a female intern – a Korean-American – while accompanying Park on her May 5-9 trip.
“I feel apologetic that an unsavoury incident... occurred near the end of my visit to the US and greatly disappointed the people,” Park told a meeting of senior aides.
I sincerely apologise for the shock the female student and her parents must have received and the scars left on the hearts of (overseas) compatriots
“I sincerely apologise for the shock the female student and her parents must have received and the scars left on the hearts of (overseas) compatriots,” she said, according to a report of the meeting posted on the presidential Blue House website.
The scandal has dominated press headlines in South Korea for several days, with reports pointing to major discrepancies in the various versions put forward and questioning the Blue House’s initial reaction.
Park, South Korea’s first woman leader, vowed that all the facts would be investigated so that no “single speck” of suspicion remained.
Washington police have opened an investigation into a complaint filed by the intern over a “misdemeanour sexual abuse” by an unnamed 56-year-old male suspect.