South Korea's Acting Justice Minister Lee Chang-jae offered to resign on Friday, a day after the ministry and state prosecutors launched an internal corruption probe.

"I did my best to maintain law and order as acting justice minister amid a national crisis," said Lee. "But I decided to step down believing I must be the first one to give up what I have in order to win the people's trust in regard to the recent incident."

Lee's resignation offer comes after an internal probe was launched on Thursday, ordered by President Moon Jae-in. The investigation looks into corruption allegations involving authorities, including high ranking ministry official, Ahn Tae-geun. Ahn is reported to have bribed former presidential secretary, Woo Byung-woo. 

Lee took on the role of Acting Justice Minister in November 2016, after then minister Kim Hyun-woong stepped down over the corruption scandal that led to the impeachment of ex-president Park Geun-hye.

Woo Byung-woo, senior civil affairs secretary to ex-President Park Geun-hye, is facing a trial over allegations including failing to prevent Park's friend Choi Soon-sil from interfering in government affairs. /VCG Photo

The Blue House said later that Lee's resignation offer for his role as acting justice minister would not be accepted, as long as he's under investigation. But the president did remove Lee from the position of justice vice minister. Lee still retains his post as state prosecutor in the southern port city of Busan.

Ahn also offered to resign from his post on Thursday but this was rejected by the Blue House.