Their annoucement came as the ruling party faces a virtual collapse in the wake of an election defeat and a series of scandals that have been bringing down its prospects for next year’s major elections. .

Lee, a six-term lawmaker, was apparently put under pressure by last week’s allegation that his secretary, surnamed Park, received some 700 million won ($610,980) from the scandal-ridden SLS Group. The group’s chairman Lee Kuk-chul was indicted Monday on bribery and other charges. The chairman said he offered kickbacks to influential politicians and government officials in a bid to remove his business from a debt workout program.

“I decided not to run for the 19th general elections. I hope this can help the party’s reform and unity,” Lee said in a news conference.

“I would like to offer my apology to the Korean people about the scandal that involved my secretary.”

Hong’s decision not to run came on different grounds.

Hong, a first-term lawmaker, had promised not to run in the April 11 election if his party members engaged in physical fights with opposition lawmakers to ram through the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, which they did, although he abstained from the vote on the pact. Hong had been calling for negotiations with the opposition.

“I will leave Yeouido with the end of my term as a member of the 18th National Assembly, blaming my inability,” Hong told reporters.

“The past four years has been a series of disappointments and frustration for me. I could neither bridge the gap between the national vision and people’s vision nor shed off people’s cynicism and distrust toward politics,” he said.

Lee and Hong’s announcements have led to speculation over whether it could lead other GNP members to follow suit. Hong is a member of the 22-member reform-minded group of lawmakers within the GNP.

The GNP is now on the verge of collapse. It was recently mired in a cyber attack scandal in which an aide to its member Choi Ku-shik attacked the website of the nation’s election watchdog National Election Commission for more than two hours during the October by-election for Seoul mayor.

The attack also targeted the official website of Park Won-soon, then a candidate for Seoul mayor, who beat GNP candidate Na Kyung-won with overwhelming support from voters in their 20-40s.

Opposition parties claim the ruling party was behind attack, which was aimed at hindering young voters from finding their polling booth.

Separately, Na told GNP floor leader Hwang Woo-yeo on Sunday that she will step down from her post as Supreme Council member, Yonhap News said.

Last week, Rep. Hong Joon-pyo resigned as leader of the GNP under strong pressure from reform-minded party members seeking to reshape the party ahead of the parliamentary elections.

Earlier, Rep. Won Hee-ryong and Rep. Kim Hyong-o also said they would not run for reelection.

)By Kim Yoon-mi (yoonmi@heraldcorp.com)