South Korea's ruling party discusses Yoon resigning in Feb before snap election

SEOUL, Dec 10 (Reuters) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's ruling party said on Tuesday that it was discussing Yoon's potential resignation as early as February after his botched martial law attempt, and holding a snap election in April or May.

Yoon has apologised for last week's martial law declaration that triggered a political crisis and pledged to leave his fate to his People Power Party (PPP) but has not resigned.

He is now the subject of criminal investigations over insurrection charges, was banned from leaving the country, and faces a second impeachment vote planned for Saturday.

Lee Yang-soo, who chairs a PPP task force launched on Monday to map out Yoon's eventual and "orderly" departure, said his team proposed the idea of having Yoon resign in February or March and holding an election two months later.

South Korea's constitution requires an election within 60 days of his departure if Yoon leaves office before his single five-year term ends in May 2027.

"We've not yet reached a conclusion partywide and will have another meeting with all our members of parliament in the afternoon to discuss that plan," Lee told reporters.

The idea came three days after PPP leader Han Dong-hoon said the president would be excluded from foreign and other state affairs, and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would oversee the government.

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) criticised the announcement, saying it is unconstitutional and Yoon must be impeached or resign and face legal prosecution. It plans to table another impeachment bill on Saturday after last week's first vote failed due to the PPP's boycott.

When asked about the PPP's proposal, DP leader Lee Jae-myung told reporters that he was unsure if the public will accept the idea of "keeping such a serious criminal in office until then."

A DP spokesperson also issued a statement dismissing the plan as "absurd," saying the PPP has no authority to craft any roadmap for Yoon's departure and the only available option is to impeach him.

Kim Seon-taek, a professor at Korea University's law school, said the president can delegate authority to the prime minister. Chang Young-soo, another professor from the same school, echoed Kim's view but said there is debate on whether the prime minister has authority to act as head of state on diplomatic matters.

GROWING DISSENT

There is growing dissent within the ruling camp, after only two of the 108 PPP lawmakers said they participated and voted for the impeachment motion last week.

The bill requires support from two-thirds of the single-chamber, 300-seat assembly to pass, which means at least eight would have to join the opposition.

On Tuesday, Kim Sang-wook became the third PPP lawmaker to openly declare support for the motion after opposing it in the first vote.

Another member Bae Hyun-jin also criticised last week's boycott and vowed to join on Saturday, while Cho Kyoung-tae said he would also vote if Yoon does not resign before then, but did not say on which side.

Kim, speaking at a news conference, said other PPP members are likely to join him, adding: "I think there's a sufficient number to pass impeachment."

INVESTIGATIONS

In a rare sign of bipartisan support, the parliament passed a bill on Tuesday to appoint a special counsel to probe the martial law case amid concerns about intensifying rivalry among various agencies that have launched their own investigations.

Yoon, his former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun, former interior minister Lee Sang-min and several military and police officials face charges of insurrection and abuse of power.

A Seoul court held a hearing on Tuesday for an arrest warrant that prosecutors requested for Kim. He did not show up but issued a statement through his lawyer saying that all responsibilities for the crisis "lie solely with me."

Police also asked for 11 cabinet ministers, who attended a late-night meeting which Yoon convened shortly before declaring martial law on Dec. 4, to appear for questioning, the Yonhap news agency reported.

(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Additional reporting by Ju-min Park and Joyce Lee; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Ros Russell)