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South Korea's opposition-controlled parliament has impeached the acting president, plunging the country into political chaos.
Lawmakers passed a motion on Friday to impeach Han Duck-soo, who is also prime minister, after he resisted pressure to appoint three judges to fill vacancies on the constitutional court.
It is the first time that an acting president has been impeached South Korea and it comes less than two weeks after President Yoon Suk Yeol was suspended from his duties for failing to seize power.
Finance minister Choi Sang-mok will now become acting president.
Friday's vote came as the country's constitutional court opened hearings on Yoon's impeachment a brief attempt to impose martial law this month.
The court must decide whether or not to uphold the impeachment of Yoon, who is currently suspended.
Growing political turmoil raises risks to the economy at a time when exports are declining and the country searching for high prices once Donald Trump becomes president of the US next month, analysts say.
South Korea lost 0.5 percent against the dollar to its weakest level since 2009 on Friday, while the Kospi stock index fell 1 percent in foreign trade.
“There is legal uncertainty about the conditions required to install an acting president but, even so, installing Han could raise concerns about the foreign economy,” said Shin Yul, a professor of politics at Myongji University in Seoul.
Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party, accused Han of “making a rebellion”.
Impeachment of the prime minister requires a simple majority in parliament, but the ruling party claimed the vote was invalid, saying a two-thirds majority should be required to impeach the acting president, as was the case when Yoon was ousted.
Han said he respects the parliament's decision and will wait for the constitutional court's decision on whether to confirm his impeachment.
In principle, seven justices are needed for the court to consider impeachment and at least six votes are needed to remove the president from office.
But opposition parties are keen to speed up the process as the court currently has just six members, and the terms of two of its judges are set to expire in April.
The Democratic Party has warned of possible impeachment of cabinet members to fill three judicial vacancies to lower the standard for confirming Yoon's removal from office.
The constitutional court said it could deliberate without a full bench. Jurors were due to issue a verdict in June, although the deadline is not set.
Yoon went he vowed “never stop” he denied any wrongdoing. He is facing a third summons by the country's anti-corruption agency for questioning on charges of treason and abuse of power.
Prosecutors on Friday accused former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun of leading Yoon's brief attempt to impose martial law.