DAY OF JUDGMENT (D-DAY)
By Park Si-soo
The day of reckoning is around the corner. The fate of scandal-tainted President Park Geun-hye will be decided in a parliamentary vote on her impeachment by 300 lawmakers at 3 p.m. Friday. The outcome is expected to be announced around 4-5 p.m.
Park’s presidency will be suspended immediately if more than 200 lawmakers vote for impeachment. Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn will automatically take over as interim leader.
Park will remain toothless until the Constitutional Court decides on her permanent removal.
Holding flaming torches, protesters march toward the presidential office during the sixth mass anti-President rally in downtown Seoul on Dec. 3. / Korea Times file
Chances for the impeachment motion to be endorsed are high given the unity of opposition parties and supporting voices within the ruling Saenuri Party.
Lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party said they would resign en masse if the impeachment vote was unsuccessful. Members of the minor opposition People’s Party have promised to follow suit.
Democratic Party floor leader Rep. Woo Sang-ho, said this collective action reflected party members’ “firm and unwavering determination” to get the motion endorsed.
People’s Party interim leader Rep. Park Ji-won said, “Nothing will be able to derail our dash toward impeachment.”
Members of the minor opposition Justice Party rally on Thursday to show their support for the impeachment motion for scandal-tarnished President Park Geun-hye at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. / Yonhap
From farmers to professors, people from all walks of life are pressing lawmakers to vote for impeachment.
Anti-Park activists started staging rallies at the front gate of the National Assembly, chanting slogans calling for Park’s removal through impeachment. They plan to host a large rally at the same venue from Friday morning in a last-minute effort to boost the chances of Park’s impeachment.
National Assembly Speaker Chung Se-kyun said Thursday he would allow rallies at the front gate to guarantee people’s freedom of speech and expression, but any collective activity within the compound would be banned for security reasons.
Thousands of university professors have issued statements explaining the need for Park’s impeachment.
“The impeachment motion should be passed unanimously,” said 791 professors of Seoul national University in a joint statement. “Park apologized three times, but none contained her sense of sincere remorse and repentance. We no longer recognize such an irresponsible person as our leader.”
Hundreds of farmers started marching toward the National Assembly, along with dozens of tractors. They plan to make their way overnight to join the mass rally in front of the National Assembly on Friday morning.
Police plan to ban the tractors from entering Seoul for safety reasons.
Anti-Park activists rally at the National Assembly front gate on Thursday, calling on lawmakers to pass the impeachment motion. / Yonhap