Kim Seung-won: "I Have No Obligation to Respond to Gossip"

Kang Yu-jung, senior presidential spokesperson at the Cheong Wa Dae, sidestepped a direct answer on Monday when asked on KBS Radio's 'Jeongyeok Sisa' whether a petition raising additional allegations against Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Seung-won had been delivered to the presidential office, saying only, "We responded through the appointment authority."

"Rep. Kim announced his intention to resign at a press conference at 11 a.m. on the 19th, and we decided to respect that within 30 minutes," she said.

Kim stepped down from his nomination two days after the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee adopted his personnel hearing progress report on the 15th. As the presidential office maintains that the appointment process has concluded, any further explanation regarding the petition is likely to fall to the political sphere.