South Korea's opposition may have secured just enough votes from President Park Geun-hye's ruling party to impeach her this week, getting a boost from the biggest candlelight protests yet over her influence-peddling scandal.
A faction in Park's ruling party agreed Sunday to support an impeachment motion set for vote on Friday, Chang Je-won, a Saenuri Party lawmaker, said on Facebook. Votes from the 29 lawmakers, when added to the 171 opposition and independent politicians already supporting impeachment, would be just enough to reach the threshold of 200 required to pass the motion in the 300-seat National Assembly.
The faction led by former floor leader Yoo Seong-min said last week they would oppose impeaching Park if she agreed to step down at the end of April. That condition no longer applies, Chang said, calling the decision by his faction a "tough" one.