Park Geun-hye: Impeachment has no legal basis, lawyers for South

File: South-Korean-President-Park-Geun-hye-defends-purchase-of-Viagra-pills-to-treat-altitude-sickness-for-aids-and-employeesinidalivetoday.jpg (49KB, 800x400px) Image search: [Google]

49KB, 800x400px

Lawyers for embattled South Korean President Park Geun-hye have struck a defiant note, saying a parliamentary vote to impeach her has no legal basis and should be overturned by the Constitutional Court.

Ms Park was indicted in a December 9 vote by a wider-than-expected 234-56 margin, setting the stage for her to become the country's first democratically elected leader to be ejected from office.

"We see no grounds for impeachment and it should be struck down," Lee Joong-hwan, a former prosecutor who is part of the team representing Ms Park, told reporters gathered at the court building where the fate of her presidency will be decided.

Her lawyers also said it was unlikely Ms Park would appear before the court when it began to hear the case. The court could take up to 180 days to reach a decision.

Ms Park, 64, whose father ruled the country for 18 years after seizing power in a 1961 coup, is accused of colluding with long-time friend Choi Soon-sil, who has been indicted and is in custody, to pressure big businesses to make contributions to non-profit foundations backing presidential initiatives.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-16/park-geun-hye-lawyers-say-impeachment-has-no-legal-basis/8128164

>President of South Korea Park Geun Hye declares on war against prosecutors and citizens