President Park to issue public statement on scandal

President Park Geun-hye will issue a public statement at 2:30 p.m. today with regard to the snowballing corruption scandal allegedly involving her and her long-time confidante.

Cheong Wa Dae officials said the president plans to announce the third public statement this afternoon. But they did not eleaborate on what the statement includes.

A presidential official reportedly said the president will not announce her immediate resignation.

News reports said the president is expected to reveal her stance on the recent proposal offered by some ruling party lawmakers loyal to her that she step down "in an honorable manner" as a way to resolve the current national crisis.

Speculation has it that Park may say that she would early quit if the political circle agrees to revise the Constitution in a way to shorten the presidential five-year term. 

The prosecution has said the president was involved in the scandal surrounding her confidante Choi Soon-sil, who allegedly exerted influence on state affairs without holding any position in the administration.

Park has faced mounting calls from the public and the political parties to resign over the scandal. Opposition parties are currently seeking to put the impeachment motion up for a vote Friday. (khnews@heraldcorp.com)