S.Korea Opposition Files Impeachment Motion
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published December 03, 2016 | 01:45 AM
SEOUL, Dec 2 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 03rd Dec, 2016 ) : South Korea's three opposition parties filed an impeachment motion early Saturday against scandal-hit President Park Geun-Hye which will be put to a vote in the national assembly next week.
The motion, which accuses Park of violating the constitution, was supported by 171 lawmakers in the 300-seat legislature, Yonhap news agency reported, with the vote set for Friday. Accused of colluding with a close friend who faces embezzlement charges, Park said last week she would be willing to step down in the face of weekly mass protests that have seen millions take to the streets of Seoul and other cities.
The opposition said Park's offer, which put the manner and timing of her resignation in the hands of parliament, was an effort to buy time and avoid impeachment. The joint opposition commands the most seats in the legislature, but will need the support of nearly 30 members of Park's Saenuri Party to secure the two-thirds majority needed to impeach the president.
"We've agreed to actively persuade anti-Park (Saenuri) lawmakers to back us," Park Jie-Won, parliamentary floor leader of the opposition People's Party, said before the motion was filed. If passed, the motion would go to the Constitutional Court for approval -- a process that could take up to six months.
The Saenuri Party has called on Park to stand down voluntarily in April, allowing a presidential election to be held in June -- six months ahead of schedule.
Party officials have given her a week to accept the timeline or face impeachment.
The scandal engulfing Park's administration is centred around a long-time friend of the president, Choi Soon-Sil, who has been dubbed "Korea's Rasputin". Prosecutors say they have evidence that Park colluded in Choi's efforts to coerce firms to "donate" tens of millions of Dollars to foundations she set up for personal gain.
Park has been named as a formal suspect in the investigation, making her the first sitting president to be subject to a criminal probe while in office. While she retains the presidency, Park cannot be charged with a criminal offence except insurrection or treason, but she would lose that immunity once she steps down.
Massive weekly protests have been intensifying over the past month, with organisers claiming up to 1.5 million people braved freezing temperatures in Seoul last Saturday to demand Park's resignation.
Activists have called for a sixth protest this Saturday in central Seoul, despite Park's announcement that she would be willing to cede power. Park on Wednesday approved a lawyer recommended by the opposition-controlled parliament as an independent prosecutor.
The special prosecutor will interview the president and be given 120 days to follow up on the findings of state investigators. Park has backtracked on earlier promises to make herself available for questioning in a judicial probe.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts
Charles & Catherine's cancer diagnoses
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
King Charles to resume some public duties during cancer treatment: palace
US defense chief announces $6 bn in security aid for Ukraine
Heavy rains cause damage to Spezand-Taftan railway track
Woman stabbed in Israel, attacker killed: police
More Stories From World
-
NFL will allow players to wear Guardian Cap helmets in games
2 hours ago -
Football: German Bundesliga table
2 hours ago -
Football: Italian Serie A result
2 hours ago -
Football: German Bundesliga results
2 hours ago -
US troops to leave Chad in second African state withdrawal
2 hours ago -
Plastics pollution may be solved without production cap: Canada minister
2 hours ago
-
Biden stalls on menthol cigarette ban fearing Black vote backlash
3 hours ago -
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
3 hours ago -
6,000 French police to welcome Olympic torch amid bonus boost
3 hours ago -
Taiwan hit by several quakes, strongest reaching 6.1-magnitude
3 hours ago -
'Ballistic' Bairstow stars as Punjab pull off record T20 chase
3 hours ago -
Tennis: ATP/WTA Madrid Open results - 2nd update
3 hours ago