South Korea's ruling party on Thursday urged scandal-hit President Park Geun-Hye to step down in April next year, giving her a week to accept their ultimatum or risk impeachment.
Park this week said she would be willing to step down early after coming under huge pressure to quit over an influence peddling scandal that has drawn more than a million people onto the streets in protest.
The ruling Saenuri Party's 128 lawmakers unanimously agreed to demand Park resign in late April and called for a presidential election to be held in June, six months earlier than scheduled.
"All the lawmakers of the party unanimously approved this timetable", parliamentary floor leader Chung Jin-Suk was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency after a crucial party meeting.
The party considered the timetable the most appropriate to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, maintain stability and give political parties time to prepare for the presidential election, Chung said.
Park said Tuesday she would let parliament decide her fate following accusations that she colluded with Choi Soon-Sil -- a secretive confidante dubbed "Korea's Rasputin" -- to coerce firms to "donate" tens of millions of dollars to foundations which were used for Choi's personal gain.
Park has been named as a suspect in the investigation, making her the first sitting president to be subject to a criminal probe while in office.
And although Park's announcement reduced the momentum of calls for her impeachment, the main opposition Democratic Party insisted that Park should be stripped of office by the end of January.
"All South Koreans want Park to leave as soon as possible... they don't want her to stick around so long," its leader Choo Mi-Ae said.
- Four month deadline -
Lawmakers from Park's own party had backed the opposition-led move to impeach her as early as this Friday.
But one of them, former Saenuri Party head Kim Moo-Sung, said they were now willing to give Park four months to leave office.
"If the president agrees to step down on April 30, there is no need to push through with impeachment", Kim said.
The party would give Park until Thursday next week to accept their demand.
"Otherwise, we would have no other option but to take part in the vote for an impeachment motion Friday next week", said Kim, who is leading the anti-Park group within the ruling party.
While she retains the presidency, Park cannot be charged with a criminal offence except insurrection or treason, but she could be charged once she steps down.
Massive weekly protests have been intensifying over the past month, with up to 1.5 million people braving freezing temperatures in Seoul on Saturday to demand Park's resignation, according to organisers.
Activists called for a sixth weekly protest on Saturday in central Seoul, despite Park saying she would be willing to cede power.
Park on Wednesday approved a lawyer recommended by the opposition-controlled parliament as an independent prosecutor to carry out a new probe into the scandal.
The special prosecutor will interview Park and be given 120 days to follow up on the findings of state investigators.
She has backtracked on earlier promises to make herself available for questioning in a judicial probe.
AFP
Thu Dec 01 2016
Park this week said she would be willing to step down early after coming under huge pressure to quit over an influence peddling scandal that has drawn more than a million people onto the streets in protest. - Filepic / REUTERS
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Sultan Pahang titah masjid laksanakan solat jenazah ghaib
Al-Sultan Abdullah turut menzahirkan rasa sedih dan dukacita dengan tragedi itu yang mengorbankan 10 anggota TLDM.
Harimau Muda tutup kempen di Qatar tanpa sebarang kemenangan
Harimau Muda tamatkan kempen di tangga tercorot kumpulan tanpa sebarang mata susulan tewas 0-2 masing-masing di tangan Uzbekistan dan Vietnam dalam dua aksi pertama.
[LAPOR LANGSUNG] Negara berdukacita, nahas udara TLDM Lumut terburuk libatkan helikopter
Kedua-dua helikopter sedang menjalani raptai buat kali ketiga sempena sambutan Hari Terbuka Armada TLDM yang dijangka berlangsung Sabtu ini.
Qatar masih komited sebagai perantara dalam rundingan gencatan senjata di Gaza
Qatar masih komited untuk menjadi orang tengah antara Hamas dan Israel untuk mencapai satu gencatan senjata di Semenanjung Gaza.
Negara berdukacita, nahas udara TLDM Lumut terburuk libatkan helikopter
TLDM mengesahkan 10 anggotanya terkorban melibatkan tujuh kru Helikopter Operasi Maritim (HOM-AW139) dan tiga kru Fennec TLDM.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: 'Amirulfaris orang yang baik, orang baik selalu pergi dulu'
Mohamad Amirulfaris sangat menjaga kebajikan ibu bapanya dan seorang yang sangat peramah dengan saudara-mara.
200 hari menyerang Gaza, Israel rancang serang Rafah yang bakal memburukkan keadaan
Sejak Oktober tahun lepas, tentera Israel telah membunuh 34,183 warga Palestin dan mencederakan lebih 77,000 yang lain.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Bapa reda pemergian anak 'tulang belakang' keluarga
Bapa kepada Pegawai Memerintah Skuadron 502 Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) Komander Mohamad Amir Mohamad, 44, menganggap pemergian anaknya itu yang merupakan tulang belakang keluarga, sebagai sat
HDC anjur Forum Kepimpinan Ekonomi Halal 2024 di Riyadh bulan ini
HDC akan menganjurkan HELF untuk meluaskan jejak globalnya, yang dibangunkan melalui pencapaian cemerlang Litar Persidangan Perniagaan Halal Dunia di London tahun lepas.
Galak kanak-kanak baca buku kepelbagaian kaum, agama untuk faham, rai perbezaan - Fahmi
Kanak-kanak perlu didedahkan dengan budaya membaca terutama buku mengenai kepelbagaian kaum dan agama di negara ini sebagai usaha melahirkan generasi berpengetahuan.
Konvensyen Khas 25 Tahun PKR pada 28 April ini - Fahmi
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) akan mengadakan Konvensyen Khas 25 Tahun Keadilan pada 28 April ini sempena ulang tahun parti itu, kata Ketua Penerangan Fahmi Fadzil.
Dividen Tabung Haji dijangka umum April ini - Mohd Na'im
Pengumuman dan agihan dividen Tabung Haji (TH) bagi tahun kewangan 2023 dijangka pada April ini iaitu setelah audit penuh dijalankan.
Stok minyak sawit Malaysia susut 10.54 peratus pada April
Jumlah stok minyak sawit Malaysia susut 10.54 peratus kepada 1.50 juta tan pada Mac berbanding 1.67 juta tan yang direkodkan pada bulan sebelumnya.
Vietnam dilanda gelombang haba
Gelombang haba diramal melanda Vietnam dengan beberapa wilayah dijangka mengalami gelombang haba melampau pada Isnin.
K-drama dan K-filem terhangat menanti anda di saluran Astro April ini
Peminat k-drama dan k-filem, berita baik untuk anda!
KWSP: Permohonan untuk pengeluaran khas bermula 1 April
Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) mengumumkan permohonan untuk pengeluaran khas RM10,000 akan dibuka kepada ahli di bawah umur 55 tahun bermula 1 April 2022.
Sesi persekolahan menengah mulai 4, 5 April ini diteruskan - Radzi
Menteri Kanan Pendidikan Senator Datuk Radzi Jidin berkata persekolahan akan diteruskan dengan mengikut prosedur operasi standard (SOP) ditetapkan.
F1 perkenal minyak wangi atasi bau hangit tayar
Formula One dan Designer Parfums mengumumkan pelancaran minyak wangi mewah itu menjelang Grand Prix Abu Dhabi.
Aktiviti golf bersama Obama demi hubungan diplomasi negara - Najib
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak hari ini menjelaskan aktiviti bermain golf bersama Presiden AS Barack Obama di Hawaii baru-baru ini tidak bermakna beliau sengaja mengabaikan bencana banjir di negara ini.
Tiada catuan air di Pulau Pinang bulan ini, namun tarif air dijangka naik
Kerajaan negeri Pulau Pinang tidak akan mengenakan catuan bekalan air pada bulan April ini tetapi sebaliknya akan melancarkan pelan kecemasan dalam usaha mengelakkan catuan air.