President says to wait for Constitutional Court's verdict on impeachment
By Kim Hyo-jin
President Park Geun-hye said Tuesday that she will accept the result of an impeachment vote Friday and will wait for the Constitutional Court's verdict if the motion is passed.
Instead of making a much-expected fourth national address on the scandal involving her and her friend Choi Soon-sil, Park met with Saenuri Party Chairman Rep. Lee Jung-hyun and floor leader Rep. Chung Jin-suk, and said she will "calmly" accept the result of the vote.
In the 55-minute long meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Park was quoted as saying that she will await the Constitutional Court's deliberations if the motion is passed and do whatever was necessary in the meantime.
This means that she will follow the whole time-consuming impeachment procedure to the end, and has no intention to step down on her own after the passage of the motion.
"Park said she is determined to accept the impeachment in a calm and composed manner," Chung said at a party meeting held later. "She expressed hopes that the party will cooperate with her, considering her position."
Park accepted the fact that the party has no choice but to drop an earlier plan seeking to shorten her term and let lawmakers participate in the impeachment vote, according to the floor leader.
The ruling party initially sought her resignation in April and a presidential election in June.
The meeting between the President and the ruling party leaders took place hours after a group of Saenuri Party lawmakers who are not affiliated with Park reaffirmed that they will back the impeachment motion.
"We are set to back the passage of the impeachment motion," Rep. Hwang Young-cheul, a spokesman for the anti-Park group told reporters after a meeting. "We view Park's possible announcement of an early resignation as a card already rejected by the public."
Hwang added, "We can share any material that can prove our readiness for the vote with the public if necessary," indicating the faction would even unveil a list of lawmakers backing the impeachment motion.
The anti-Park faction, consisting of about 40 lawmakers of the 128-member ruling party, has the deciding vote for the passage of the motion, which requires a two-thirds majority in the 300-member legislature.
At least 28 votes need to be secured from the ruling party, given unanimous support from 172 opposition and independent lawmakers.
Following Park's third speech that put the timing and manner of her resignation in the hands of the National Assembly, the anti-Park lawmakers agreed with Park loyalists to seek the President's resignation by April and a presidential election in June, making it the party's official position.
But they bolted from this amid growing public anger expressed in the largest nationwide candlelit rally ever, Saturday, where 2.32 million protesters called for Park's immediate resignation and the Assembly's impeachment of her.
Hwang said Sunday the anti-Park faction decided to participate in the impeachment vote regardless of whether Park announces her resignation, as required by the ruling party.
As the passage of the motion looms, some pro-Park Saenuri lawmakers, too, are showing signs of turning their back on the President. A dozen loyalists expressed their intention to vote for the motion, according to a media poll, Monday.
By Kim Hyo-jin
President Park Geun-hye said Tuesday that she will accept the result of an impeachment vote Friday and will wait for the Constitutional Court's verdict if the motion is passed.
Instead of making a much-expected fourth national address on the scandal involving her and her friend Choi Soon-sil, Park met with Saenuri Party Chairman Rep. Lee Jung-hyun and floor leader Rep. Chung Jin-suk, and said she will "calmly" accept the result of the vote.
In the 55-minute long meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Park was quoted as saying that she will await the Constitutional Court's deliberations if the motion is passed and do whatever was necessary in the meantime.
This means that she will follow the whole time-consuming impeachment procedure to the end, and has no intention to step down on her own after the passage of the motion.
"Park said she is determined to accept the impeachment in a calm and composed manner," Chung said at a party meeting held later. "She expressed hopes that the party will cooperate with her, considering her position."
Park accepted the fact that the party has no choice but to drop an earlier plan seeking to shorten her term and let lawmakers participate in the impeachment vote, according to the floor leader.
The ruling party initially sought her resignation in April and a presidential election in June.
The party, later in the day, decided to participate in the impeachment vote and allow its lawmakers to vote according to their conscience.
The meeting between the President and the ruling party leaders took place hours after a group of Saenuri Party lawmakers who are not affiliated with Park reaffirmed that they will back the impeachment motion.
"We are set to back the passage of the impeachment motion," Rep. Hwang Young-cheul, a spokesman for the anti-Park group told reporters after a meeting. "We view Park's possible announcement of an early resignation as a card already rejected by the public."
Hwang added, "We can share any material that can prove our readiness for the vote with the public if necessary," indicating the faction would even unveil a list of lawmakers backing the impeachment motion.
The anti-Park faction, consisting of about 40 lawmakers of the 128-member ruling party, has the deciding vote for the passage of the motion, which requires a two-thirds majority in the 300-member legislature.
At least 28 votes need to be secured from the ruling party, given unanimous support from 172 opposition and independent lawmakers.
Following Park's third speech that put the timing and manner of her resignation in the hands of the National Assembly, the anti-Park lawmakers agreed with Park loyalists to seek the President's resignation by April and a presidential election in June, making it the party's official position.
But they bolted from this amid growing public anger expressed in the largest nationwide candlelit rally ever, Saturday, where 2.32 million protesters called for Park's immediate resignation and the Assembly's impeachment of her.
Hwang said Sunday the anti-Park faction decided to participate in the impeachment vote regardless of whether Park announces her resignation, as required by the ruling party.
As the passage of the motion looms, some pro-Park Saenuri lawmakers, too, are showing signs of turning their back on the President. A dozen loyalists expressed their intention to vote for the motion, according to a media poll, Monday.
