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Factional fighting is escalating in South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party as anti-Park Geun-hye lawmakers demanded on Monday that its chief and other Park loyalists leave the party.
On Friday, the National Assembly passed the impeachment motion against Park in a 234-56 vote.
Scores of Saenuri dissenters who played a key role in the passage called for the departure of eight key pro-Park members including party chairman Lee Jung-hyun, to clear the deck for the normalization of the beleaguered party.
They said Park allies should be held responsible for sitting idle as the corruption scandal centering on Park and her confidante Choi Soon-sil unfolded.
Rep. Hwang Young-cheul, a spokesman of the group, said the eight members were virtually the supporters of Choi.
Park loyalists were opposed to the impeachment, opting for allowing the president the opportunity to resign voluntarily.
On late Sunday, some 50 pro-Park lawmakers decided to form their own organization declaring they would fight against the Park dissenters. (Yonhap)
