President's impeachment goes ahead despite poll triumph

The impeachment of South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun will go ahead, the country’s Constitutional Court said today, insisting that it will not be influenced by a stunning parliamentary election win for the party that supports the embattled head of state.

In yesterday’s nationwide polls, South Koreans gave the pro-Roh Uri Party a majority in the National Assembly, punishing bigger opposition parties that sponsored the impeachment.

After taking 152 seats in the new 299-seat legislature, the Uri Party urged its rivals “to honour the will of the people and retract the impeachment of President Roh”.

However, the main opposition Grand National Party, whose seats dropped from 137 to 121, would not withdraw charges of incompetence and illegal electioneering against Roh – who has been suspended from his presidential duties since March 12.

GNP head Park Geun-hye said lawmakers should concentrate on fostering economic recovery and let the court decide the fate of Roh, who was elected in December 2002 on an anti-graft platform.

The Constitutional Court has several months to decide whether to dismiss Roh or restore him to office.

One of its members, Justice Yun Young-chul, said the bench would not be influenced by the Uri’s Party’s strong showing.

“The court will continue its procedures in a quick and precise manner according to the rules,” Yun was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency.

Before the election, Uri held only 49 seats in the assembly. This was more than tripled in yesterday’s poll as voters sympathetic to Roh rallied behind it.

The results are expected to strengthen Roh’s hand as the court decides his fate.