(LEAD) Lee's wife apologizes over alleged misuse of public servants, corporate card

(ATTN: UPDATES with details from 7th para; CHANGES photo)
By Lee Haye-ah

SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- The wife of ruling party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung apologized Wednesday over allegations she misused public servants and corporate cards during her husband's term as governor of Gyeonggi Province.

Kim Hye-kyung spoke in a press conference nearly two weeks after SBS TV first reported the allegations a secretary for the Gyeonggi provincial government was told to pick up packs of beef and prescription drugs meant for Kim and deliver them to the governor couple's home.

"I sincerely apologize to the people and especially to the whistleblower," Kim said at the ruling Democratic Party's headquarters, referring to the secretary.

"I will bear the responsibility I have to bear," she continued, adding she will do her best to cooperate with an ongoing investigation into the case.

Kim initially issued a written apology last week, saying she took full responsibility for what transpired as she should have drawn a line between personal and official business.

But the allegations have only grown, with news reports alleging she used a corporate card of the provincial government to pay for personal expenses.

The reports have been based on text messages and phone calls exchanged between the secretary and a higher-level official at the provincial government before Lee left office in October last year.

In the exchanges, the higher-level official, surnamed Bae, sends the secretary on various errands for Kim.

Bae issued her own statement last week saying she gave the orders not at Kim's request but out of her own desire to please the governor couple.

When asked about her relationship to Bae, Kim said they met during her husband's campaign for mayor of Seongnam, a city south of Seoul, and have known each "for a long time."

"I was introduced to (the secretary) by Bae when I first arrived in Gyeonggi, so we said hello on the first day. After that, I never communicated or met with (him)," she said.

Kim said her husband advised her to apologize sincerely during the press conference.

The allegations have dealt a blow to Lee's campaign with only weeks to go until the March 9 election, especially as the candidate has been neck-and-neck with main opposition candidate Yoon Suk-yeol in recent polls.

Yoon of the People Power Party has had to deal with his own controversy related to allegations his wife lied on job applications and associates closely with shamans.

hague@yna.co.kr
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