Resignation? Impeachment?
It is more than acceptable to state that all of the South Koreans heard of “Impeachment”, “Resignation” and “Choi Sun-sil” from the recent governmental scandal.
The evidence of President Park Geun-hye’s act of sharing advance copies of “remarks” from her speeches and Cabinet addresses was reported by JTBC Network. Furthermore, the President’s involvement with creating and building up multiple secret funds for Mir and K-Sports Foundations and privileged treatment by Ewha Womans University were released during the confirmation hearings. Due to overflowing reports regarding irresponsible and irrational actions of the President, not only the citizens of South Korea, but also the international critics were greatly disturbed. It brought millions of people onto the streets in protest against the President and the current government.
The crowd was divided into two distinct groups:
One for the President’s resignation, and one for the President’s impeachment.
Let’s look into the difference between resignation and impeachment.
Resignation is the formal act of giving up or quitting one’s office or position. On the other hand, impeachment is an enumerated power of the legislature that allows formal charges to be brought against a civil office of government for crimes alleged to have been committed. So resignation is the President’s own decision, when impeachment is the Legislature’s decision to ‘fire’ the President.
In terms of respecting the President, resignation is the most ideal solution.
However, for President Park, the situation is quite complicated.
A President would normally have a privilege of not getting prosecuted, but since there was a testimony that stated the President was involved in the process of creating Mir and K-Sports foundation’s secret funds, if the President resigns without a confirmation of the legislature, she will lose her privilege of not getting prosecuted. Also, if President Park gets sentenced to an imprisonment, one of the exception for Honorable Treatment of Ex-Presidents Act will allow the prosecution.
In Korean History, there was three presidents that have resigned, Seungman Lee, Bosun Yoon, and Gyuha Choi, and only one president that was formally decided by the legislature to be impeached during their incumbency, Muhyun Roh.
It will be significant if President Park is decided to be impeached, but since there are various limitations and consequences, it will not be easily decided. Maybe the issue will continue until the president’s incumbency ends! Who knows?
It’s our job as a citizens of Korea to know the difference between our possible options, and value the options to consider which one is most beneficial for all of us.