South Korea’s Presidential office has issued a formal apology after an official was fired over “shameful” sexual harassment allegations during a high-profile visit to America.

Former Blue House spokesman Yoon Chang-jung was axed after he was alleged to have groped a Korean-American intern in a Washington hotel.  A police report says the 56-year-old Yoon had “grabbed her buttocks without permission”.

President Park Park Geun-hye's chief-of-staff, Huh Tae-yeol, says Yoon’s conduct was “unconditionally wrong” and “unacceptable” and he apologized to the victim, her family and all South Koreans.

For his part, Yoon is denying any intentional wrongdoing.  Speaking to reporters in Seoul, Yoon claimed that he had touched the back of the woman’s waist lightly only once as a gesture of encouragement because he had been too critical of her earlier in the day.

“Now I am deeply repentant for not properly understanding the American culture, and I offer my sincere word of consolation to the (intern),” said Yoon, apologizing to the South Korean people and President Park for causing “trouble” and putting a “stain in the successful summit”.