国际英语新闻:S. Korean president's spokesman dismissed over sex scandal

SEOUL, May 10 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Park Geun-hye has fired her spokesman Yoon Chang-jung over a sexual assault scandal during her official visit to the United States, local media reported Friday, quoting an announcement by the presidential office on Thursday in the United States.

Yoon Chang-jung, a 57-year-old former journalist, was suspected of sexually assaulting a young woman who worked as an intern at South Korean Embassy in Washington.

The report said the Washington D.C. police has launched investigation into the allegation but declined to provide further details.

Yoon was accompanying Park on an official visit to the United States, including a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington, Yonhap News Agency reported.

South Korea's senior presidential press secretary, Lee Nam-ki, said that Yoon's inappropriate behavior hurts national dignity.

The firing of the presidential office came as a surprise, as Park is till on her five-day visit to the United States.

It's reported that South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party on Friday urged Park to apologize to South Korean people and criticized Park for hiring Yoon despite widespread criticism that he was not capable of being qualified in position.