Resisting Resignation

[Anchor Lead]

The presidential office has not issued a response to the proposal that President Park steps down honorably, a call voiced by pro-Park members of the ruling party. Meanwhile, the president has accepted the resignation of the justice minister, dealing a further blow to the execution of state affairs.

[Pkg]

The presidential office is withholding its response to the proposed honorable resignation of President Park Geun-hye, which was suggested by heavyweight ruling party members who are close to the president. The top office is believed to be taking a wait and see attitude. For such a proposal to be effective, a bipartisan agreement must come first. Meanwhile President Park has accepted the resignation of Justice Minister Kim Hyun-woong. This comes a week after the minister offered to step down to take moral responsibility over the probe results into the Choi Soon-sil scandal announced by the prosecution. However the top office withheld the resignation of presidential civil affairs secretary Choi Jai-kyeong. With the justice minister seat vacant, state affairs will inevitably suffer more disruption as President Park is not in a situation to appoint a new minister. Ruptures in state governance are spotted throughout the Cabinet including on state-authored history textbooks, a project that has now considerably lost steam. The situation is no different with the presidential office. Park has not chaired a single meeting on state affairs since her last meeting with top aides on October 20th. The top office is under growing pressure as the National Assembly's impeachment process is well underway while a parliamentary probe and an independent counsel investigation into the scandal are also expected in the coming days. It's to be seen how President Park and her office, literally cornered on all sides, will address the current crisis.