Ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon, right, leaves a meeting room after the party's Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) is grappling with internal divisions over how to navigate President Yoon Suk Yeol's resignation after his de facto withdrawal from state affairs in the wake of his martial law debacle, according to party officials and political watchers, Monday.

The PPP, already under public scrutiny for boycotting an impeachment vote against Yoon last Saturday, is struggling to come up with a clear exit strategy despite party leader Han Dong-hoon's pledge to work toward an "orderly early resignation" of the president.

On Monday, the party held a series of meetings, including a Supreme Council session, an emergency plenary meeting, and a gathering of senior lawmakers.

While details of the discussions were undisclosed, the party announced plans to form a task force to discuss measures to stabilize the current turmoil, including options for Yoon's early resignation.

"Discussions about the president's resignation were part of the agenda," party spokesperson Kwak Kyu-taek told reporters, although he declined to provide further details, citing ongoing deliberations.

The party remains deeply divided over the timing and process of Yoon's resignation.

The PPP leadership is under growing pressure to present a unified exit plan as opposition parties have vowed to submit a second impeachment motion as early as Wednesday, with plans to table the motion at a plenary session on Thursday. The lack of a consensus on Yoon's exit plan within the PPP may threaten a unified front to boycott a second impeachment motion.

PPP lawmakers aligned with Han have advocated for Yoon to step down as early as within six months, a scenario that would trigger a presidential election within 60 days from his removal in accordance with related laws.

However, pro-Yoon lawmakers are calling for a more gradual timeline, with some suggesting a constitutional amendment to shorten the presidential term. This process could delay his resignation until 2026.

The president's five-year term officially ends in May 2027, but his political career has been cut short following the martial law fiasco on Dec. 3, with growing public calls for impeachment.

People participate in a rally calling for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, in Seomyeon, Busan, Sunday. Yonhap

“The best approach would be for the president himself to announce his timeline for stepping down, and ideally, it should not exceed the typical timeframe of an impeachment ruling, which is about three to six months,” said Kim Jong-hyuk, a Supreme Council member aligned with Han, in a CBS radio interview.

Kim added, "Some lawmakers are talking about a one or two-year period, but I think this does not reflect current public sentiment."

However, five-term lawmaker Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, a staunch supporter of the president within the ruling party, expressed concerns about a swift resignation process that could trigger an early presidential election. He argued that such a scenario would likely benefit the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).

“If early elections were held, DPK leader Lee Jae-myung would likely become president. This could lead to the dismissal of his indictment and sentencing,” the lawmaker told reporters at the National Assembly.

“The president has not yet been formally suspended from duty under the Constitution or the law. It is a suspension in a political sense,” the lawmaker noted, marking a subtle difference from the party leader's stance that the president will not be involved in state affairs until his resignation.

The party's internal discord follows its controversial decision to boycott an impeachment vote on Saturday evening, when 105 out of 108 PPP lawmakers left the Assembly chamber during the vote. This led to the nullification of the motion, as it failed to meet the required quorum of 200 votes.

A day later, Han announced the party's intent to pursue Yoon's “early resignation,” but without providing details.