By Park Song-wu
Staff Reporter

The two major opposition parties on Wednesday said they will put the impeachment motion against President Roh Moo-hyun to the vote on Thursday.

``We strongly believe that the impeachment is the only way to prevent President Roh from driving the country into catastrophe,’’ Choe Byung-yul, the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) chairman, said at a news conference. ``I believe there will be no political chaos if the president is impeached because Prime Minister Goh Kun will be in charge of the government as an acting president.’’

The opposition has until 6 p.m. on Friday to put the motion to a vote or it would be made null and void.

Choe’s remarks were echoed by the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) chairman Chough Soon-hyung, who initiated the impeachment bid. ``The Assembly should set an example to show people what will happen even to a president if he violates the constitutional orders,’’ Chough told reporters.

The motion needs the approval of 181 lawmakers or two-thirds of all 271 National Assemblymen to pass. A total of 159 lawmakers _ 51 MDP lawmakers and 108 GNP lawmakers _ signed on for the proposal Tuesday to begin the impeachment procedure. This means the two parties will have to bring 22 additional lawmakers on board.

But analysts say getting the needed number of 181 votes will not be easy because around 30 GNP lawmakers currently oppose it. Many junior legislators see impeachment as a political posturing prior to the April 15 general elections. Public opinion also is turning its back to the oppositions’ plan to oust the head of state.

``I also know the opposition of those, including young legislators,’’ Choe said. ``But I believe the diverse opinions within the party will be converged into the party line of impeaching the president. In a nutshell, I strongly believe there will be no problem to garner more than 181 votes.’’

Choe even mentioned the possibility of revising the Constitution to introduce a parliamentary government system after the president is impeached. The proposal is considered a carrot to entice the 10-member minor opposition United Liberal Democrats, which has hoped to change the current government system, to their side.

Without a dramatic settlement, the parliament will unavoidably turn into a battlefield as the Uri Party members are currently performing a sit-in protest since Tuesday, pledging to block the vote with all possible means.

``The Uri Party has a mission to block this impeachment motion,’’ said Chung Dong-young, chairman of the de facto ruling party. ``We will do our best to win enough number of seats (in the April elections) to stop the opposition’s further trial to impeach the president.’’

The two oppositions have asked Speaker Park Kwan-yong to use Assembly guards to keep the full session in order. ``If Speaker Park declines to pick up the measure to avoid a scuffle in the plenary session, it will be difficult to carry out the vote,’’ Choe said. ``So I believe Speaker Park should place guards during the session.’’

Park has yet to respond to the request due to worries that he could be mired in the political bickering.

If the Uri Party blocks the vote, sources said, the two oppositions will once again try to take the vote the next day. The Constitution articulates that the motion should be addressed within 24 to 72 hours since it is filed with the Assembly.

im@koreatimes.co.kr