The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday called on the parliament to quickly recommend a new prime minister candidate to prevent any administrative vacuum, as Seoul is scurrying to build ties with US President-elect Donald Trump.
The appeal came a day after opposition parties turned down President Park Geun-hye's offer to appoint a parliament-picked premier, pressuring Park to declare she will retreat from state affairs.
Park made the proposal to break a political impasse sparked by a corruption scandal involving her confidante. But opposition parties have continued to raise doubts over whether the president will relinquish much authority to a new premier as she has indicated.
"(Cheong Wa Dae) will continue communication and consultations with the National Assembly (over the prime minister nomination)," presidential spokesman Jung Youn-kuk told reporters.
Asked if a schedule was set for telephone talks between Park and Trump, Jung said, "I will tell you when a schedule is fixed."
After the Republican Trump was seen as winning the White House in a race against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on Wednesday, the presidential office convened a National Security Council session to discuss possible ramifications of Trump's election as the 45th US president.
Seoul officials have been carefully following the election as it is likely to influence South Korea's diplomatic and economic ties with its superpower ally. (Yonhap)
