Prime Minister Lee Wan Koo offered his resignation yesterday amid a bribery scandal that is the latest political crisis to hit President Park Geun Hye.

Mr Lee has been at the centre of corruption allegations which emerged after a businessman killed himself earlier this month, leaving a memo listing the names of eight high-profile figures he claimed to have bribed.

Most of the eight men, including Mr Lee, are considered close associates of Ms Park.

Businessman Sung Wan Jong told a local newspaper before his death that he had given 30 million won (£18,600) to Mr Lee in 2013.

The prime minister has denied the allegation, but he has heard growing calls to resign after national media reported evidence laying bare his ties with Mr Sung.

Mr Lee’s office revealed yesterday that he had presented his resignation offer on Monday to Ms Park, who was in Peru on a four-nation trip.

She described Mr Lee’s resignation offer as “very regrettable,” claiming that she “felt the prime minister’s agony,” according to a statement posted on the website of the presidential Blue House.

Ms Park also called for a thorough investigation into the scandal.

Presidential spokeswoman Chun Hye Ran said that she had not been told whether Ms Park would accept the resignation offer.

The president is still struggling to deal with criticism over her government’s handling of last year’s ferry disaster that killed more than 300 people.

Violence broke out at a Seoul rally at the weekend led by relatives of the ferry victims, leaving dozens of people injured.