President Park Geun-hye has reasons to fight any attempt to fast-track her impeachment trial. A delayed trial at the Constitutional Court, or more precisely the preordained departure of justices in its nine-member judge panel, increases her chances of surviving the impeachment, while giving her more time to muster support outside the courtroom.

With Monday’s retirement of the court’s president, Justice Park Han-chul, the top court now must proceed with the trial with eight justices. Another justice, Lee Jung-mi, who is acting as court president following Park’s departure, is also nearing the end of her term -- March 13.

Since removal of a sitting president from office requires consent of at least six justices, not two-thirds, of the court’s judge panel, the chances of Park’s ouster are greater if the decision is reached before Lee steps down. Until March 13, three of the eight justices must side with Park for her to keep her job, but this requirement falls to two out of seven after that.

These, of course, are just the numbers. They do not take into account the main deciding factor -- whether or not President Park will manage to convince enough justices to vote for her reinstatement against an apparently overwhelming public sentiment.