A group of ruling Saenuri Party lawmakers supportive of the ousting of President Park Geun-hye called on her Wednesday to clarify her timeline for resignation, saying it would be proper for her to quit by the end of April.
The group also said it secured a sufficient number of lawmakers to pass the impeachment motion led by the opposition, which requires approval from at least 200 members of the 300-seat National Assembly.
As the opposition parties and independent lawmakers take up 172 seats, at least 28 Saenuri lawmakers must support the motion.
On Tuesday, Park said she will step down in line with a timetable and legal procedures agreed on by political parties during her third public speech delivered since the outbreak of an influence-peddling scandal, which dealt a harsh blow to her presidency.
"There was concern that we may waver after the president's speech yesterday, but we confirmed in today's meeting that our position has gotten even stronger," said Rep. Hwang Young-cheul, the spokesman of the emergency council of non-Park loyalists.
"It is important that the president clearly state the date of her resignation to prove her sincerity."
Hwang said the ruling and opposition parties must decide on Park's path by Dec. 8, adding the group will otherwise join the impeachment vote on Dec. 9.
Meanwhile, Rep. Chung Jin-suk, the party floor leader who is not included in the group, called on opposition parties to join discussions on Park's resignation and next year's presidential election.
"If the president had announced an immediate resignation in Tuesday's speech, we would have had to hold the election in end-January," Chung said, adding the public does not wish for such a hasty election.
Chung added Park should consider stepping down in April to time the new presidential election for June as proposed by senior politicians late last week.
"If the parliament passes the impeachment motion, we would have only to wait for the Constitutional Court's decision, which will lead to further confusion in state affairs," Chung said. (Yonhap)
