Seoul: South Korean lawmakers put forward a historic bill on Saturday to impeach scandal-hit President Park Geun-hye as the opposition bloc heralded a vote on the motion on December 9.
The impeachment motion was filed with the National Assembly by 171 opposition and independent legislators. The ruling Saenuri Party, which has 128 lawmakers, refrained from taking part in the proposal, Xinhua news agency reported.
Three main opposition parties, including the Minjoo Party, People’s Party and the Justice Party, have agreed to vote on the impeachment on December 9 when the regular session ends.
The impeachment motion states that President Park comprehensively and gravely violated laws for nearly four years. Park took office in February 2013.
According to the impeachment bill, the constitutional violations include the president’s permission of her confidante Choi Soon-sil and her associates to meddle in state affairs and influence the appointment of government officials.
It marks the second impeachment proposal since the country’s constitutional government was launched about seven decades ago. The latest was in 2004 for late President Roh Moo-hyun.
IANS