A group of soon-to-be defectors from South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party said Thursday they will establish a new conservative party in January to prepare for an early presidential election.

Around 35 lawmakers disgruntled with the loyalists to President Park Geun-hye occupying the party leadership announced on Wednesday that they will leave the party on Dec. 27.

Park was impeached by the National Assembly on Dec. 9 over a corruption and influence-peddling scandal. If the Constitutional Court confirms the validity of the impeachment, the nation has to elect a new president within 60 days.

"Due to the growing possibilities of an earlier-than-expected presidential race, we must hurry up efforts to launch a new party," an official from the group said.

They will also immediately form their own parliament negotiation group, which requires at least 20 lawmakers, after they formally resign from the party.

The National Assembly currently has three negotiation groups -- Saenuri, the Democratic Party and the People's Party.

Their declaration of separation came after the party's mainstream members, who are close to Park, rejected their demand to name their leader Yoo Seong-min as the head of an emergency committee to lead party reforms in the wake of the presidential impeachment. (Yonhap)