SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean President Park Geun-hye fired her chief spokesman because of what her office said yesterday was a "disgraceful incident" during Park's trip to the United States, in what could be a domestic blow after an otherwise widely praised appearance in Washington.

Without elaborating, the presidential Blue House said on its website that unspecified actions by spokesman Yoon Chang-jung marred the government's dignity.

Washington police said they were investigating a report of misdemeanor sexual abuse, but could not comment further. A police report obtained by The Associated Press states that a woman told police that a man "grabbed her buttocks without her permission" on Tuesday night at the W Washington D.C. hotel. The police report does not describe the circumstances or identify the accuser or suspect, except to say that the suspect is 56. Yoon, who is 56, wasn't named in the report.

Park traveled to Washington seeking a show of unity with her country's top ally at a time of high tension with rival North Korea.

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