By Jun Ji-hye
The overwhelming vote in favor of the impeachment of the scandal-ridden President Park Geun-hye, Friday, is expected to affect the deliberations of the Constitutional Court.
Among a total of 299 lawmakers in attendance, 234 voted for the motion, while 56 voted against. There were two abstentions and seven nullified votes.
The result means that a considerable number of members of the ruling Saenuri Party, who have stood by Park, also voted for the motion in addition to 171 opposition and independent lawmakers and some 40 ruling party members who do not support the President as well as National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun.
Park is completely stripped of power if the Constitutional Court concurs that she committed a crime that makes her unfit to serve as head of state, after up to six months of deliberations.
But political experts said the top court may spend only two to three months in its deliberations, adding that it would be hard for the court to overturn Park's impeachment, considering the Assembly's overwhelming support in addition to the growing calls from the public for her immediate resignation.
This may end Park's alleged plan to begin a fierce debate on the legal aspects of the suspicions surrounding her, including a bribery allegation, to prove she is legally innocent after the impeachment vote. This was apparently based on her hope that the top court could overturn her impeachment, which will restore her power as president.
If the court rules for Park's impeachment in two to three months, the next presidential election will take place within the first half of next year, instead of December, according to the Constitution stipulating that the election should be held within 60 days of a president's departure.
For their part, the three opposition parties are expected to take the lead in upcoming political events until the next presidential election.
They are highly likely to appeal to the people to judge the conservative government that has been engulfed by the corruption scandal, and vote for an opposition presidential candidate.
According to a Cheong Wa Dae official, Park stayed at the presidential office and watched the result of the vote on television.
The overwhelming vote in favor of the impeachment of the scandal-ridden President Park Geun-hye, Friday, is expected to affect the deliberations of the Constitutional Court.
Among a total of 299 lawmakers in attendance, 234 voted for the motion, while 56 voted against. There were two abstentions and seven nullified votes.
The result means that a considerable number of members of the ruling Saenuri Party, who have stood by Park, also voted for the motion in addition to 171 opposition and independent lawmakers and some 40 ruling party members who do not support the President as well as National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun.
Park is completely stripped of power if the Constitutional Court concurs that she committed a crime that makes her unfit to serve as head of state, after up to six months of deliberations.
But political experts said the top court may spend only two to three months in its deliberations, adding that it would be hard for the court to overturn Park's impeachment, considering the Assembly's overwhelming support in addition to the growing calls from the public for her immediate resignation.
This may end Park's alleged plan to begin a fierce debate on the legal aspects of the suspicions surrounding her, including a bribery allegation, to prove she is legally innocent after the impeachment vote. This was apparently based on her hope that the top court could overturn her impeachment, which will restore her power as president.
If the court rules for Park's impeachment in two to three months, the next presidential election will take place within the first half of next year, instead of December, according to the Constitution stipulating that the election should be held within 60 days of a president's departure.
For their part, the three opposition parties are expected to take the lead in upcoming political events until the next presidential election.
They are highly likely to appeal to the people to judge the conservative government that has been engulfed by the corruption scandal, and vote for an opposition presidential candidate.
According to a Cheong Wa Dae official, Park stayed at the presidential office and watched the result of the vote on television.
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