Pres. Park quiet on April resignation

Pres. Park quiet on April resignation. December. 02, 2016 07:13. by Taeck-Dong Chang will71@donga.com.

Amid heated political debates over the timing of President Park Geun-hye’s resignation, her office Cheong Wa Dae reiterated its position on Thursday that the president will follow the National Assembly’s decision on her political fate. Park seems to believe that maintaining “strategic ambiguity” will concentrate political attention on the discussion of her resignation, subsequently foiling the National Assembly’s attempt to impeach her.

Asked whether President Park should specify the timing of her resignation in person, Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Jeong Yeon-guk told reporters that the president “wants the National Assembly to quickly discuss” the issue. Jeong also denied some media reports that the president mentioned her resignation in April, stressing that President Park will follow the parliament’s decision.

After the ruling Saenuri Party said Thursday it will seek to have President Park step down before the end of April and hold the presidential election in June instead of late 2017, Cheong Wa Dae reiterated that the president will accept any decision on the timing of her resignation if the ruling and opposition parties agree on it.

Cheong Wa Dae believes that President Park’s direct suggestion of her resignation timing would cause political struggles and would not help rival parties reach an agreement. If the president proposes the timing, only to come under criticisms from the public and opposition parties, it is possible for the parties to return to an impeachment motion. Therefore, President Park is expected to remain silent until the ruling and opposition parties make significant progress in their negotiations.