South Korea opposition rejects embattled president’s power-sharing offer

South Korea’s opposition has rejected an offer by embattled President Park Geun-hye to nominate the country’s prime minister, as she attempts to offer concessions meant to save her scandal-hit presidency.

The presidential Blue House had said in a statement on Wednesday that Park was sincere in her offer to share power with the opposition, calling for a meeting with both ruling and opposition parties to discuss details over the offer to have the opposition pick the prime minister.

The opposition, however, said the president’s offer was too “ambiguous,” and “It’s not even worth consideration.”

It urged Park to guarantee that the new prime minister would be given a completely free hand in selecting cabinet ministers, handling state affairs, and functioning without interference. Although Park had bowed to demands to withdraw her nominee for prime minister on Tuesday, it was not clear if she would give the potentially opposition-nominated prime minister such a free hand.

“If parliament recommends a good person with an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties, I will appoint that person as prime minister and allow him to essentially take control over the cabinet,” Park had told Parliament Speaker Chung Sye-kyun.

Opposition parties had already vowed to block her original prime ministerial nominee on the grounds that they were not properly consulted.

Park is under fire over the scandalous involvement of her long-time friend and confidante Choi Soon-sil in state affairs. Despite having no official post, Choi is alleged to have exerted influence over the appointment of officials and to have had access to confidential government information.

She has been detained on charge of fraud and abuse of power.

The allegations have sparked massive protests across the country, with protesters demanding that the president step down.

Park has already made several attempts to quell public fury. She has reshuffled senior cabinet members and presidential aides.

Opposition parties have branded her latest attempt to have the opposition pick the prime minister as a bid to “divide and rule.”

“We’ve already fallen into the trap set by the president,” said Park Jie-Won, the head of the opposition People’s Party.

The political scandal has sent President Park’s approval rating to an all-time low of just 5 percent, the lowest ever recorded for any South Korean president, according to a recent survey by Gallup.

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