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South Korea President Park Geun-hye Impeached by National AssemblY
South Korea's President Park impeached in parliamentary vote
S. Korea's interim leader was Park defender; powers unclear

South Korean lawmakers on Friday voted overwhelmingly to impeach President Park Geun-hye over an influence-peddling scandal, setting the stage for her to become the country's first elected leader to be pushed from office in disgrace.
Members of parliament voted by secret ballot with 234 in favor and 56 opposed, meaning dozens of members of Park's own conservative Saenuri Party backed the motion to remove her. At least 200 members of the 300-seat chamber needed to vote for the motion for it to pass.
Seven votes were disqualified, two members abstained and one member did not participate, the parliament speaker said.
The Constitutional Court must decide whether to uphold the motion, a process that could take up to 180 days. Park's duties were immediately assumed by Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on an interim basis.
Park, 64, is accused of colluding with a friend and a former aide, both of whom have been indicted by prosecutors, to pressure big businesses to donate to two foundations set up to back her policy initiatives.
Park, who is serving a single five-year term that was set to end in February 2018, has denied wrongdoing but apologized for carelessness in her ties with her friend, Choi Soon-sil.
Park has been under heavy pressure to quit but this week said she would await the court's ruling on the impeachment vote.
Mass rallies have been held in the capital, Seoul, every Saturday for the past six weeks to press her to quit. Opinion polls show overwhelming public support for her impeachment.
Parliament was closed to the public on Friday on the orders of the speaker.
SEOUL, South Korea – The man who takes over as government caretaker in the wake of President Park Geun-hye's impeachment is seen by critics as a stiff and uncompromising defender of the fallen leader.
How loyal is Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn? As the corruption scandal that would bring Park down raged last month, popularly called "Choi Soon-sil Gate" after the confidante Park was alleged to have ceded government power to, Hwang suggested that it was really all his fault, not Park's, because he had failed to support her properly.
"Amazing," opposition lawmaker Roh Hoechan sarcastically replied. "So this was 'Hwang Kyo-ahn Gate' all along
Hwang, 59, was a state prosecutor for nearly 30 years before starting a career in politics and policymaking. He was regarded as the staunchest loyalist in Park's cabinet. The prime minister is the country's No. 2 position but ordinarily lacks major power.
Now Hwang assumes presidential duties, including serving as commander-in-chief of South Korea's 630,000-member military, while the country's Constitutional Court decides whether to approve or reject Park's impeachment. The court has half a year to decide, and if it removes Park, a presidential election would be held within 60 days.
The prime minister's powers in such situations, however, are not spelled out clearly in the law, leaving the question of what comes next open to interpretation.
Some legal experts say Hwang's authority should be constrained because he is merely keeping the seat warm for either a reinstated Park or a new president. Though filling in as president, his title remains prime minister.
But while opposition lawmakers don't particularly care for Hwang, some claim that he should at least have the authority to appoint senior officials.
The terms of two of the Constitutional Court's nine justices end early next year. Lawmakers worry this could cause problems if the court's review of Park's impeachment drags on. Removing Park from office would require the support of at least six justices.
Opposition lawmakers say they plan to propose a law to make it more clear what Hwang can and cannot do as interim leader.
e last time South Korean lawmakers voted to impeach a president, Roh Moo-hyun in 2004, Prime Minister Goh Kun quietly served handled presidential duties and refrained from exercising presidential powers on personnel appointments and diplomacy until the court reinstated Roh two months later.
Some experts believe the court will need more time to decide Park's case than Roh's. While Roh was accused of minor election law violations and incompetence, Park is facing spiraling allegations that she helped Choi extort money and favors from large companies and manipulate state affairs from the shadows. Park apologized over the public anger caused by the scandal and for putting trust in Choi, but has denied any legal wrongdoing.
Her lawyers are likely to press the court not to uphold impeachment unless suspicions leveled against the president are proven, experts say.
(   / editor  )