Rep. Park Young-sun, the floor leader of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy, stepped down Thursday following controversy over a bill aimed at determining the truth behind April's deadly ferry sinking.

   "I am laying down the burden of the post of floor leader," she said in an e-mailed letter to all NPAD lawmakers. "It has been a difficult time, abandoning all of my beliefs, honor and pride in the name of responsibility."

   Park's resignation comes two days after the ruling Saenuri Party and NPAD reached a compromise on the controversial bill.

   After months of wrangling over the bill's terms, the rival parties agreed to jointly recommend four candidates for an independent counsel to be tasked with investigating the disaster that left more than 300 people dead or missing.

   Critics argue that the government's poor initial response to the tragedy contributed to the high death toll.

   Park, who led negotiations on the bill with her ruling party counterpart, Lee One-koo, had earlier offered to resign once a deal is reached, regardless of the terms of the agreement. (Yonhap)