S.Korea's main opposition lawmakers to resign unless presidential impeachment passed

Xinhua News Agency

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All members of South Korea's biggest opposition party will resign their parliamentary seats unless the bill to impeach President Park Geun-hye is passed through the National Assembly, the party's whip said Thursday.

Minjoo Party's Floor Leader Woo Sang-ho said senior party members agreed that all party lawmakers would vacate their seats if the impeachment motion is not passed through the unicameral assembly. The bill is scheduled to be put to vote on Friday.

Lawmakers from three opposition parties — the Democratic Party of Korea, the People's Party and the Justice Party — hold placards during a rally at the National Assembly, Wednesday, calling for the ruling Saenuri Party to join a vote on the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. Photo: Yonhap

The biggest opposition party is set to hold its general meeting later in the day before submitting the resignation en bloc to the party leadership, according to Yonhap news agency report.

The minor opposition People's Party is reportedly collecting signatures on the resignation en bloc unless the impeachment bill is passed in the 300-seat parliament.

The impeachment bill was put forward last Saturday by opposition and independent lawmakers, but at least 28 ruling Saenuri Party lawmakers must vote for it to overcome the two-thirds threshold. The governing party has 128 parliamentary seats.

(APD)