The South Korean Parliament voted on Friday to impeach President Park Geun-hye, the first female and 18th president of the country. Of the 299 legislators who cast their votes, 234 were in favor of her impeachment over accusations of corruption.
Five MPs voted against her impeachment, two withdrew and seven votes were considered invalid, Korea Herald reported. Formal documents would be turned over to the presidential Blue House which would be followed by Park being removed from power temporarily.
Until South Korea’s Constitutional Court decides if Park would permanently step down from her post or not, South Korea would be led temporarily by Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, New York Daily News reported. Six of the Constitutional Court’s nine judges must vote for her impeachment for Park’s removal from office to be permanent. The court has up to 180 days to make a decision.
Korean celebrities have been following the impeachment procedure not only because it is the national leadership that is at stake but also because of the possible impact of Park’s impeachment on their being able to hold fan meets and perform in China. Beijing banned Korean shows and celebrities because of South Korea’s deployment of the THAAD missiles under Park’s administration.
However, the ban appears to have been implemented on-and-off. For instance, the commercial made by “Descendants of the Sun” actor Song Joong-ki for Vivo, a Chinese phone, was ordered pulled out, although Vivo nevertheless honored its contract and paid the 31-year-old actor in full.
But weeks after ban, he was able to endorse a Chinese cosmetic brand in China in a live event. “The Sound of Your Heart,” a Korean drama where Song Joong-ki has a cameo role would be streamed in China on Sohu TV.
Since a presidential election would be held within 60 days after the court rules, it implies it could take almost half a year or in mid-2017 before South Korea would have a new president whom Hallyu celebrities hope would not order another round of THAAD missile deployment and displease again Beijing which could prolong the ban or make it permanent.