The unicameral National Assembly of the Republic of Korea (South Korea's Parliament) on Dec. 9 impeached President Park Geun-hye for acts of corruption by her confidante, Choi Soon-sil, and for neglecting her duties as the country's elected leader.
She was impeached for leaking confidential documents to Choi, her good friend; allowing Choi to meddle in key state affairs and top personnel decisions and allowing Choi to force conglomerates to donate funds or offer benefits to Choi and her associates.
Park, 64, was also accused of exerting pressure on media companies that reported on Choi's wrongdoings. Park's failure to issue rescue orders at the time of the sinking of the ferry MV Sewol on April 16, 2014 in which 295 persons were killed was also held against her.
According to Korean law, all these charges constitute violations of presidential obligations as stated by the Constitution.
The opposition-dominated National Assembly opened a plenary session at 3:00 p.m. to vote on the impeachment motion. The ballot started at 3:25 p.m. and was approved by Parliament with the vote standing at 234 in favor and 56 against. Two abstained and seven votes were invalid.
Dozens of members of Park's own conservative Saenuri Party voted for the motion to impeach her.
Choi and a former aide were previously indicted by prosecutors for pressuring big businesses to donate to two foundations set up to back Park's policy initiatives.
Park has denied wrongdoing but apologized for carelessness in her ties with Choi. She is serving a single five-year term that was to end in February 2018. Park said she will await the Constitutional Court's ruling on the impeachment vote.
Huge rallies have been held in Seoul every Saturday for the past six weeks to force Park to resign. Opinion polls showed massive public support for her impeachment.
After the approval of the impeachment was announced, National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun signed the impeachment document and had it delivered to the parliamentary legislation and judiciary committee.
The committee chairman, Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the Saenuri Party, filed the impeachment motion to the Constitutional Court and delivered a copy to the presidential office.
The official delivery immediately suspended Park from office. Her suspension means the Constitutional Court will have to decide on whether Park should be permanently removed from her post.
During the court deliberations that bmight last for 180 days, Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn will take charge as acting President.