South Korea's Park says to accept result of impeachment vote-ruling party officials

Record ID: 76070

  • Title: South Korea's Park says to accept result of impeachment vote-ruling party officials
  • Date: 6th December 2016
  • Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (DECEMBER 6, 2016) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** LAWMAKERS OF SAENURI PARTY GATHERED FOR PARTY'S GENERAL MEETING REPRESENTATIVE AND FLOOR LEADER OF SAENURI PARTY, CHUNG JIN-SUK SHAKING HANDS WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF SAENURI PARTY MEETING IN PROGRESS LOGO OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY LAWMAKERS OF SAENURI PARTY SEATED CHUNG SPEAKING AT PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) REPRESENTATIVE AND FLOOR LEADER OF SAENURI PARTY, CHUNG JIN-SUK SAYING: "Considering that the proposal was to stabilize the political situation in the country, (she) had been willing to accept the party's proposal for her to step down in April and to have an early presidential election in June." FORMER LEADER OF SAENURI PARTY, KIM MOO-SUNG (FAR LEFT) AND OTHER MEMBERS OF SAENURI PARTY LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) REPRESENTATIVE AND FLOOR LEADER OF SAENURI PARTY, CHUNG JIN-SUK SAYING: "If the impeachment is passed, I will accept that and try to do everything I can." CHUNG SPEAKING AT PODIUM LAWMAKERS OF SAENURI PARTY SEATED MEETING IN PROGRESS
  • Embargoed: 21st December 2016 08:33
  • Keywords: South Korea politics ruling party general meeting Saenuri Park Geun-hye impeachment vote
  • Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
  • City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
  • Country: South Korea
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015BQWCAT
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: South Korean President Park Geun-hye, engulfed in a corruption scandal, said on Tuesday (December 6) she would accept the result of an impeachment vote against her this week.
    Parliament is expected to hold a vote on impeachment on Friday, but even if the opposition wins the two-thirds majority needed for impeachment, the vote must be upheld by the country's Constitutional Court, a process that could take months.
    Park met leaders of her Saenuri party and top official Chung Jin-suk later said Park was willing to accept her party's proposal for her to step down in April, but gave no indication that was willing to resign immediately.
    "Considering that the proposal was to stabilize the political situation in the country, (she) had been willing to accept the party's proposal for her to step down in April and to have an early presidential election in June," Chung said.
    "If the impeachment is passed, I will accept that and try to do everything I can," Chung added.
    Park, whose term officially ends in February 2018, could become South Korea's first democratically elected leader to leave office early in disgrace.
    The three opposition parties need at least 28 members from Park's Saenuri Party for the impeachment bill to pass with a two-thirds majority. At least 29 of them are believed to be planning to vote for the bill, members of a breakaway faction said.
    Park is accused of colluding with a friend and a former aide to pressure big business owners into paying into two foundations set up to back her policy initiatives.
    Park has denied wrongdoing but has apologised for carelessness in her ties with the friend, Choi Soon-sil.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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