HONGSEONG, South Chungcheong Province -- An Hee-jung, former governor of South Chungcheong Province, abruptly canceled a planned press conference Thursday about alleged sexual assaults against his female secretary.

The prominent liberal politician had planned to make a public apology and explanation at 3 p.m. about his secretary's claim that An forced her to have sex with him multiple times over the past eight months.

Just two hours before the planned press meeting, an aide to An sent a message to reporters that An had decided that he should face the prosecution's questioning first.

"He believes that it is his duty before anything else that he earnestly cooperates with the investigation," the aide, Shin Hyung-cheol, said. "He wishes to express his apology once again."

The victim, Kim Ji-eun, made the revelation in a TV interview on Monday and filed a complaint with the prosecution the following day.

An posted an apology on Facebook and resigned as governor. He has made no public appearance since Kim's interview aired.

On Wednesday, another woman, who worked at a research institute set up by An, alleged that he raped and assaulted her several times.

An was billed as a potential presidential candidate in the liberal bloc. He was the runner-up to Moon Jae-in in the Democratic Party's primary ahead of last year's presidential election. (Yonhap)