Two members quit Saenuri amid scandal

Two influential members quit South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party Tuesday in a fresh blow to the party plagued by a corruption scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and a resurfacing factional strife.

Gyeonggi Gov. Nam Kyung-pil and third-term lawmaker Kim Yong-tae announced their decision to leave the party after the conservative party leadership, dominated by pro-Park loyalists, refused their demand to step down.

"A president who undermines the values of the Constitution and violates the law for the sake of personal interests does not deserve the mandate granted by the people," Nam, formerly a five-term lawmaker, said during a press meeting.

Nam added that a party should not represent a certain group and the current situation calls for the establishment of an alternative party.

Kim also said Park has disrupted the free-market order by extorting funds from conglomerates.

Local conglomerates were reportedly requested to chip in for the establishment of the Mir Foundation and the K-Sports Foundation, with allegations indicating that Choi tried to siphon off money from these entities.

Kim added that Saenuri currently remains unrepentant for the scandal, despite the public's claim that the ruling party cannot be detached from the scandal.

Their defection reduced the number of Saenuri-affiliated administrative chiefs of metropolises and provinces to five and that of its lawmakers to 128.

It marks the first time for high-profile members to bolt from the party since the influence-peddling scandal broke late last month. The prosecution implicated Park on Sunday as an accomplice in the massive corruption case centering on her confidante and aides.

Political pundits said their actions may trigger a wave of defection from the party. Some lawmakers outside the pro-Park faction are discussing plans to leave the party and establish a separate parliamentary negotiation group, which requires at least 20 legislators, according to sources.

Their move is expected to add ammunition to opposition parties' ongoing push to impeach Park.

The passage of an impeachment motion needs to win the approval of at least 200 lawmakers of the 300-seat National Assembly.

The Saenuri dissenters have demanded party leader Lee Jung-hyun and Supreme Council members resign for what they called a botched response to the scandal, stemming from their close ties with the beleaguered president.

Lee refused to resign for now, citing his responsibility as leader to reunite and normalize the party.

Choi Soon-sil, the prime suspect in the snowballing scandal, allegedly exerted influence on state affairs and enjoyed personal benefits based on her 40-year-old friendship with the president.

Political pundits added there could be a major exodus of lawmakers from the ruling party if former leader Rep. Kim Moo-sung and Rep.Yoo Seong-min also decide to break away from Saenuri. The two figures are considered to hold significant influence within non-mainstream lawmakers.

Both Kim and Yoo, however, have not yet expressed a clear intention to leave the party. On Tuesday, Yoo said he will concentrate on normalizing the party for the time being.

(YONHAP)