Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo offered to step down on late Monday night. / Yonhap



By Lee Min-hyung

Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo offered to resign on late Monday night amid mounting criticism over a bribery allegation that he received kickbacks from the late Keangnam Enterprises Chairman Sung Woan-jong.

"Lee expressed his intention to step down and sent the message to President Park Geun-hye," a high-ranking official of the ruling Saenuri Party told Yonhap News.



The presidential office officially confirmed the resignation offer.

Park is expected to accept the resignation next Monday when she returns from a four-nation trip to Latin America.

"The prosecution should thoroughly probe into the bribery scandal to achieve political reform," she said in a written statement, Tuesday.

Lee ended up as the prime minister with the shortest tenure in history, serving only 63 days since taking office on Feb. 17.