South Korean lawmakers say President Park Geun-hye was willing to accept impeachment if the opposition-controlled parliament voted for her removal this week but would prefer to resign on her own terms.
“I told the President Park Geun-hye that we can follow the impeachment process as the Constitution says and, as a floor leader, I will let the members of the independent constitutional organization vote according to their free will. The president nodded and showed signs of acceptance,” said Chung Jin-suk, Floor leader of the Saenuri Party.
The official also said Park was willing to accept a now-withdrawn proposal to voluntarily step down in April with presidential elections following in June.
Party leader Lee Jung-hyun then relayed a message from Park asking members to accept her resignation rather than push ahead with an attempt to impeach her. Lee said resignation would “ensure a stable transfer of power.”