South Korea's parliament impeaches acting president
· Sky NewsSouth Korea's parliament has voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo.
The move could deepen a constitutional crisis triggered by a short-lived period of martial law declared by Mr Han's predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol.
After the vote on Friday, Mr Han said he will step aside to avoid more chaos.
The opposition brought impeachment proceedings against him over his refusal to immediately fill three places on South Korea's Constitutional Court - where the former president is on trial.
Three justices had been approved by parliament - where the opposition Democratic Party has a majority - but Mr Han said he would not formally appoint them without bipartisan agreement.
South Korea's constitution says that six justices on the nine-member Constitutional Court must agree to remove an impeached president, meaning the current justices must vote unanimously to remove Mr Yoon.
The court has said it can deliberate without the full nine-member bench.
Leader of the opposition Lee Jae-myung had vowed to go ahead with the impeachment, accusing Mr Han of "acting for insurrection".
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Now that Mr Han - who is also prime minister - has been impeached, his finance minister Choi Sang-mok is set to take over as acting president.
Politicians in the 300 parliament voted 192-0 to impeach him. Governing party politicians boycotted the vote.
Following the vote, Mr Han said he would respect the decision and will await a ruling from the Constitutional Court on the impeachment motion.
Mr Han will be stripped of the powers and duties of the president until the Constitutional Court decides whether to dismiss or reinstate him - the same as with Mr Yoon.
Another development in ongoing crisis
Asia correspondent
There is little respite for South Koreans from the constant political turmoil gripping the country.
Today another development highlighted the ongoing crisis with parliamentarians protesting and tussling inside the National Assembly, after it voted to impeach the country’s acting President, Han Duck-soo.
Mr Han only lasted two weeks in the job.
While some members of the ruling party supported the previous impeachment vote against former President Yoon Suk Yeol, they were clearly opposed to today’s motion.
The fact that it passed, with a reduced voting threshold and without the ruling party behind it, will deepen the legislature’s divide.
South Korea has been trying to steer a path out of this, but each week another twist in the plot complicates it.
People are desperate for political calm and a sign of stable leadership to right the ship.
The country’s reputation as a dependable democracy in a tense region has now been severely damaged internationally, and at home as well.
The longer the uncertainty drags on the more frustrated South Koreans become.
They rose to the defence of their political system on the night of the failed martial law declaration.
Now they want the politicians to do their job. To sort it all out. Fast.