Statement by Yoshimitsu Kobayashi, Chairman of Keizai Doyukai
On Dismissal of South Korean President Park Geun-hye

March 10, 2017

Yoshimitsu Kobayashi
Chairman, Keizai Doyukai

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1. The Constitutional Court of Korea has announced today its decision to uphold President Park Geun-hye's impeachment by the National Assembly. The ruling makes Park the first president dismissed due to impeachment in the country's history of constitutional government. We have a keen interest on this incident and hope for a thorough clarification of the suspicion over bribery charges and others through investigations.
2. Now that a presidential election is to be held within 60 days, we expect a new president will be elected without worsening political turmoil and division of the people in the country.
3. Japan's partnership with South Korea is vital amid the tension escalating in East Asia specifically due to North Korea's launch of ballistic missiles on March 6. We hope South Korea will establish a stable government sooner so that the two countries can deepen mutually beneficial national security and economic relationship.

Japanese version