South Korean Ruling Party Decides Not to Expel Embattled President Park

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — South Korea's ruling conservative Saenuri Party has made a decision not to expel the country's impeached President Park Geun-hye from its ranks, the party's interim leader said.

"If it was before the impeachment, the party should have punished her to reflect public demand. But now, with the impeachment process in progress, it is meaningless to nitpick her wrongdoings as a party member," In Myung-jin said, as quoted by the Yonhap news agency.

In added that Park was a decent party member and the politician would protect her even against the backdrop of criticism.

Political scandal around the president broke out in late October 2016 when media reported that Park allowed Choi Soon-sil, her friend and "shadow adviser," who held no official post, to edit her speeches thus letting her influence the country's policy. Moreover, Choi was suspected of pressuring South Korean big corporations and extorting money from them for her non-commercial funds.

The South Korean parliament decided to impeach President Park Geun-hye on December 9 after the corruption scandal. The Constitutional Court has six months to decide upon the validity of the parliament's impeachment of Park. If the impeachment is recognized valid, a presidential election should be called within two months.