SKorean ruling party whip quits amid leadership crisis

By Alex Jensen

SEOUL

South Korea’s ruling Saenuri Party began an inevitable overhaul Monday, as floor leader Chung Jin-suk resigned in the wake of President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment.

Park -- a former Saenuri chief and still a party member -- has until this Friday to present a written response to the Constitutional Court following the National Assembly’s decision to oust her last week.

The outcome of the parliament’s secret ballot suggested that more than half of the ruling camp’s lawmakers joined the liberal bloc in voting to impeach the president.

This occurred despite key Saenuri officials staying loyal to Park throughout a power abuse scandal that has engulfed her administration since October.

“The essence of political conservatism is an attitude to take responsibility,” Chung was quoted as saying by local news agency Yonhap.

Party chair Lee Jung-hyun earlier vowed to step down Dec. 21, but pro-Park Saenuri lawmakers remain locked in a battle for ruling camp supremacy with their rebel counterparts.

Around 50 loyalists set up an organization Sunday aimed at winning that fight, although political momentum is against any association with Park -- who has been on the receiving end of massive public protests for seven consecutive weekends.

Internal strife could lead to a further weakening of South Korea’s conservative political establishment, which appears to be on the verge of splitting over explosive allegations that the president helped force donations from conglomerates and allowed a secret confidante to steer state affairs.

Outgoing United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is touted as the strongest Saenuri presidential contender in a potential snap election.

It is not clear, however, which faction Ban would align with or even if he would be prepared to run at all.

Before a successor can be elected, Park’s fate lies with the Constitutional Court, which has six months to confirm or overturn her impeachment.

In the meantime, Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn is acting president.