Park: ready to resign, parliament will decide my future

The Korean president says she is ready to leave power "once lawmakers come up with measures to transfer power in a way that minimises any power vacuum and chaos in governance." December 2, the opposition will present the motion for impeachment in parliament. Park would be the first president to step down since 1960.

 

Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - "I will leave the matters about my fate, including the shortening of my presidential term, to be decided by the National Assembly. If the ruling and opposition parties discuss and come up with a plan to reduce the confusion in state affairs and ensure a safe transfer of governments, I will resign from the presidential position under that schedule and by processes stated in law". said South Korean President, Park Geun-hye, today during a speech to the nation broadcast live on TV.

The head of state’s address, fueled by a lingering political scandal, come just a few days from December 2, when the opposition parties will present a motion in parliament asking for her impeachment. The motion should pass with a two-thirds majority as even members of Saenuri party, linked to the president, are in favor of it.

Park is at the center of a corruption scandal involving her friend Choi Soon-sil. The latter - the daughter of a religious personality (almost a "guru") a friend of the Park family - is accused of having interfered in internal and foreign policies, procuring funding for some of her foundation, illegally benefiting from it. Today is the third televised speech by Park since the beginning of the scandal.

Two days ago yet another demonstration in Seoul gathered nearly a million and a half demonstrators. In recent weeks there have been other popular demonstrations.

Park would be the first South Korean president to resign since Syngman Rhee, who left power and fled to Hawaii after a popular protest in 1960. The next government was brought down by Park’s father, Park Chung-hee, the military dictator who ruled until his assassination in 1979.

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