Han Dong-hoon, leader of the ruling People Power Party (Yonhap)

Ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon on Monday called on President Yoon Suk Yeol to issue a public apology and reshuffle aides at the presidential office to address growing concerns over allegations surrounding the first lady.

Han of the People Power Party made the remarks during a meeting of the party's supreme council, calling for a "complete" personnel overhaul of the presidential aides.

"The president should publicly and thoroughly address the concerns of the people, issue an apology to the people and take the necessary actions," Han said.

Han's calls come amid an intensifying scandal over the alleged interference by Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee in the party's nomination of a candidate for the parliamentary by-elections in 2022, after the main opposition Democratic Party on Thursday released a recording of a phone call between Yoon and Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed political broker.

The recording fueled controversy that Yoon had influenced the candidate selection process to favor Kim Young-sun, a former lawmaker, for a district in South Gyeongsang Province ahead of the by-elections.

"The release of the recording of a phone call and text messages between the president and the first lady and the political broker is in itself deeply regrettable," Han said. "The public's great disappointment is a great crisis for the government and the ruling party."

The first lady has also been accused of being involved in a stock manipulation scheme, accepting a luxury bag and interfering with the party's candidate nominations ahead of the April general elections.

In addition, the party suspects the first lady has a coterie of officials in the presidential office inappropriately influencing decisions in personnel issues and policies.

During the meeting, Han urged the first lady to refrain from public activities and reiterated his calls for Yoon's appointment of a special inspector to look into possible corruption among the president's family members.

"It is only natural to appoint a special inspector to prevent this from happening again," Han said.

The office of the special inspector was established in 2014 to conduct investigations into alleged irregularities committed by the president's spouse and close relatives, and senior presidential officials, but has been vacant since 2016.

On the opposition's intensifying offensive against the party and the government, including the impeachment of Yoon, Han said his party will make utmost efforts to prevent what he called "conspiracy and instigation," but noted that "change and reform" are essential to stand against the opposition. (Yonhap)