South Korean Prime Minister Han Myong-soo offered to resign on Thursday (Feb 22), the Presidential Office said.

Han, who took office as prime minister in last April, offered to resign during a dinner meeting with President Roh Moo-hyun and leaders of the ruling Uri Party at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday, Roh's spokesman Yoon Seung-yong said.

"Prime Minister Han expressed her intention to return to the Uri Party during the dinner meeting," Yoon said.

Han will remain on her position until March 6, when the president formally quit from the party and the special National Assembly session ends, Yoon added.

According to Yoon, Han had expressed to Roh on Feb. 11 that she will step down and return to the ruling party if Roh quit from the ruling party, Yoon said.

Han was the first female prime minister in the country and was widely expected to run for the presidential election for the ruling party, which has yet brought out a hopeful presidential candidate.

Han's resignation was shortly after Roh announced in the dinner meeting that he has decided to quit from the ruling party to maintain political neutrality in the run-up to December's presidential election, Yoon said.

Roh will become the nation's fourth incumbent president to quit from the ruling party following former presidents Roh Tae-woo, Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae-jung.

Editor: Wing