S. Korean top prosecutor to resign over affair

SEOUL - South Korea's top prosecutor on Friday offered to resign following allegations that he had a child through an extramarital affair.

A local daily Chosun Ilbo reported last Friday that Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook fathered a son via the extramarital affair in 1999, which Chae strongly denied.

Chae asked Chosun to correct the news report, saying that he had an intention of confirming blood relationship via DNA testing.

"Once again, I clearly say that the report on my personal details is groundless," Chae was quoted as saying by his spokesman on Friday.

His offer came around 30 minutes after the justice minister ordered an inspection into Chae's personal affair. It was the first time in the country's history that a justice minister ordered an investigation into the top prosecutor's personal matter.

Chae took office in April for a two-year term, leading socially weighty scandals such as collection of unpaid fines by former President Chun Doo-hwan.