- Title: South Korean parties pledge to work towards stability during impeachment process
- Date: 9th December 2016
- Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (DECEMBER 9, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** LEADER OF SOUTH KOREA'S MAIN OPPOSITION, THE MINJOO PARTY OF KOREA, CHOO MI-AE, WALKING IN TO BRIEFING ROOM / SIGN ON WALL READING (Korean): "THE FIRST ARTICLE OF THE CONSTITUTION, SECTION TWO", "THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA SHALL RESIDE IN THE PEOPLE, AND ALL STATE AUTHORITY SHALL EMANATE FROM THE PEOPLE" MEDIA IN BRIEFING ROOM CHOO SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) LEADER OF THE MINJOO PARTY OF KOREA, CHOO MI-AE, SAYING: "This is a victory for the people and it will go down in history." JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) LEADER OF THE MINJOO PARTY OF KOREA, CHOO MI-AE, SAYING: "The impeachment is the beginning for the normalisation of government administration. As the main opposition party, we will lead managing the political situation and stabilising the nation with responsible behaviour and cooperation with other opposition parties." BRIEFING IN PROGRESS LEADER OF SAENURI PARTY, LEE JUNG-HYUN, WALKING IN TO BRIEFING ROOM / SIGN ON WALL READING (Korean): "WE ARE DEEPLY SORRY FOR THE NATION", "WE WILL STABILISE THE GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION PROMPTLY" (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) LEADER OF SAENURI PARTY, LEE JUNG-HYUN, SAYING: "21st of December, the date I've announced to step down from the party leadership, can be moved up to a much earlier date. I will leave as soon as measures are prepared to fill the vacuum in our party." LEE BOWING / LEAVING BRIEFING ROOM
- Embargoed: 24th December 2016 10:10
- Keywords: South Korea impeachment opposition parties President Park Geun-hye Choo Mi-ae government stability
- Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Reuters ID: LVA0015C5W7R9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:South Korea's main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea said on Friday (December 9) it will cooperate with other parties to ensure a stable government during the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye.
Lawmakers voted overwhelmingly on Friday to impeach Park over an influence-peddling scandal.
Members of parliament voted by a higher-than-expected 234 in favour and 56 opposed in the secret ballot, meaning more than 60 of Park's own conservative Saenuri Party members backed the motion. The votes of least 200 members of the 300-seat chamber were needed for the motion to pass.
"As the main opposition party, we will lead managing the political situation and stabilising the nation with responsible behaviour and cooperation with other opposition parties," Minjoo Party leader, Choo Mi-ae, told journalists.
The Constitutional Court must decide whether to uphold the motion, a process that could take up to 180 days.
Under the constitution, Park's duties will be assumed by Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on an interim basis until the court rules.
Leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, Lee Jung-hyun said that he will step down on December 21 or earlier once measures are put in place to fill the position in his party.
Park is accused of colluding with a friend and a former aide, both of whom have been indicted by prosecutors, to pressure big businesses to donate to two foundations set up to back her policy initiatives.
Park has denied wrongdoing but apologised for carelessness in her ties with her friend, Choi Soon-sil. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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