South Korean opposition seeking to impeach president Park Geun-hye next Friday

Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans marched.

SEOUL-South Korea’s three opposition parties introduced a joint impeachment motion against President Park Geun-hye on Saturday, dismissing the scandal-hit leader’s recent proposal to resign early if parliament can agree on a suitable transition.

For over a month now, South Koreans have been asking a rather unusual question for citizens of a modern democracy: whether their president, Park Geun-hye, could have been under the influence of the supernatural while in office.

The only real questions that remain are precisely when she will go, and whether she will step down or be removed.

The three opposition parties, with a combined 165 seats in the 300-member parliament, can bring the impeachment but will need some members from Park’s Saenuri Party to bring the vote to the two-thirds majority required to pass the bill. It’s uncertain whether they will back the impeachment bill if she does.

On the other side of Seoul, some 15,000 loyal supporters of President Park staged a rally in front of Dongdaemun Design Plaza, denouncing anti-Park protestors as “witch-hunting” the president.

“I am full of anger, but also anxious”, said Ray Kim.

“We plead with the Saenuri’s non-President Park faction”.

Ms Park has apologised to the nation but denied wrongdoing. The poll was conducted from Tuesday to Thursday, after the president issued a third public apology.

Earlier this week she said she would leave office if parliament put forward a plan promising a stable transfer of power. This news story is related to Latest/169293-South-Koreas-scandal-tainted-Park-to-face-impeachment-vote-next-week/ – breaking news, latest news, pakistan ne. The final ruling of the impeachment process has to be made by the Constitutional Court within 180 days, which needs at least six of nine judges’ approval that the impeachment abides by Korea’s constitution.

Another large protest rally demanding she step down immediately is planned for later on Saturday, the sixth weekend protest in succession.

Police said they had deployed around 20,000 officers to control the event. Theres more Disney than street-fighting at protests meant to force President Park from power over corruption allegations.

Last week’s Saturday protest drew 1.5 million people, organizers claimed.

The scandal engulfing Ms Park’s administration is centred around a long-time friend of the president, Choi Soon Sil, who has been dubbed “Korea’s female Rasputin”.

Saturday’s main demonstration was set to culminate – as on previous Saturdays – in a candlelit march in the direction of the presidential Blue House.

The president is also suspected of having put pressure on top Korean companies, including electronics giant Samsung, to donate to two foundations controlled by Choi and which Choi is said to have used for her own personal gain.

Park can only face charges of treason or insurrection while she retains the presidency – but would lose all immunity on stepping down.