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Rival protests over South Korea's impeached president take place in Seoul

11 February 2017 22:29 (UTC +04:00)

Thousands of South Koreans took part in rival rallies in Seoul, protesting for and against the impeachment of President Park Geun-Hye, media reported on Saturday, APA reports quoting Yonhap News reported.

Those protesting against the president, numbering an estimated 750,000, called for Park's resignation and demanded an extension of the special prosecutors' investigation probe, which is due to expire on February 28. The event was the 15th weekly candlelight vigil held in Seoul.

Park's supporters, in turn, waved Korean flags and demanded that the top court nullify the impeachment and dissolve the special prosecutor team.

Presidential hopefuls also reportedly attended both rallies. Moon Jae-in, a former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, mayor of Seongnam city Lee Jae-myung, and An Hee-jung, a provincial governor, took part in the anti-Park rallies. Meanwhile, the ruling Saenuri Party's Rhee In-je joined the pro-Park rally.

On December 9, 2016, the South Korean parliament voted to impeach Park in the wake of an influence-peddling scandal involving her "shadow adviser" Choi Soon-sil who was accused of abuse of power after it was revealed she had edited the president's speeches. The ongoing investigation into Park's role in the scandal can be extended once by a month, with consent from the acting president, Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn.

The Constitutional Court has until early June to decide upon the validity of the parliament's impeachment of Park. At least six court justices have to uphold the impeachment decision before Park can officially be removed from office. After Chief Justice Lee Jung-mi’s steps down on March 13, the court will be left with seven vacant seats out of a total of nine.

If the impeachment is recognized as valid, presidential elections should be called within two months.