South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday asked parliament to decide how and when she can give up power over an influence-peddling scandal, taking the country's political crisis deeper into uncharted terrain. The main opposition Democratic Party rejected Park's offer, calling it a ploy to escape being impeached, and said it would continue efforts to bring an impeachment motion in parliament, which it has sought to do as soon as Friday. No South Korean president has failed to complete a single five-year term since the current democratic system was introduced in 1987. "I will leave to parliament everything about my future including shortening of my term," Park said in a brief televised speech. Her dramatic maneuver puts the burden of resolving the crisis, involving a close friend accused of meddling in state affairs, on parliament, which has been controlled by a coalition of opposition parties since Park's conservative Saenuri Party unexpectedly lost its majority in April elections. The presidential office and Park's lawyer have denied the accusations against her. She has immunity from prosecution in the case as long as she remains in office. If Park resigns or an impeachment vote in parliament is upheld by the Constitutional Court, an election must be held in 60 days to nominate a president to serve a five-year term, with the prime minister leading the country in the interim. That short time frame could leave the main political parties looking to buy time in order to coalesce behind presidential candidates, and political analysts said it may take months for parliament to agree on an exit plan for Park. "I will step down from my position according to the law once a way is formed to pass on the administration in a stable manner that will also minimize political unrest and vacuum after ruling and opposition parties' discussion," Park said, her voice firm. — AP
