S. Korea’s Park makes rare public appearance amid scandal

Kim Moo-sung, a Saenuri leader who has called for Park’s resignation, said after meeting Democratic Party leader Choo that he had proposed that Park leave office by the end of April so an election can be held around the end of June. Some influential members of her ruling party also called Wednesday for impeachment efforts to pause while lawmakers examine how to set up a legal roadmap for Park’s resignation proposal.

That short time frame could leave the main political parties looking to buy time in order to coalesce behind presidential candidates, and political analysts said it may take months for parliament to agree on an exit plan for Park. “I will not be distracted by the circumstances and thoroughly investigate (the case) based on law and principle”. Park had admitted her fault in trusting wrong people, but avoided resigning until Tuesday (29 November) when in a televised speech she announced her willingness to quit.

Park Kwang-on, a Democratic Party lawmaker, said it looked like she was trying to stall proceedings.

Much of the hesitation is because the opposition does not have enough legislators to pass an impeachment in parliament, and they would need help from dissenters in Ms Park’s ruling Saenuri Party. Over seven out of 10 respondents demanded the impeachment vote as scheduled. Her duties would be temporarily transferred to the prime minister while the country’s Constitutional Court reviews whether her impeachment could be constitutionally justified.

If impeached, Park’s presidential powers would be suspended until the Constitutional Court makes a ruling on her fate.

Park’s Tuesday address came just three days before the widely expected vote on a bill to impeach the embattled president in the National Assembly. A passage of an impeachment motion requires at least 200 votes in favor.

The Saenuri’s antimainstream factions are poised to support an impeachment bill to be submitted by the opposition at a plenary session on December 9 if they fail to reach an agreement with opposition parties by December 8.

SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) – South Korean President Park Geun-hye has let lawmakers decide on her fate, but it kindled public confusion about what the embattled president meant to do with her national address over a scandal involving herself.

A group of civic associations said they planned a rally near the presidential complex on Wednesday to protest her speech. “We have the numbers to pass it”.

Park subsequently kept a low profile for almost two decades until 1998, when she made a successful bid to become a lawmaker as the South was reeling from the fallout of the 1997-98 Asian economic crisis. “Do you think we can handle such a sudden presidential election?”

Chiefs of the three main opposition parties, including the minor Justice Party, had a trilateral meeting, but they failed to reach an agreement.

“According to the Constitution, the only possible option for shortening the president’s term is impeachment”.

Park has been named a suspect in the investigation, making her the first sitting president to be subject to a criminal probe while in office.

Opposition parties remained skeptical and continued to push for impeachment.

The opposition parties are still adamant that an April resignation is not acceptable. Meanwhile, anti-Park protesters have taken to the streets in thousands in recent weeks demanding her resignation. The Minjoo Party has 121 parliamentary seats.