S. Korea votes to impeach Roh
President's future uncertain
 |  Lawmakers and security personnel protect the speaker as he reads the result of the vote. |
SEOUL, South Korea -- SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea's National Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to impeach President Roh Moo-hyun by 193-2, amid dramatic scenes as rival politicians physically battled on the floor of parliament.
Roh's presidential powers were immediately suspended and Prime Minister Koh Gun will lead the nation until a Constitutional Court decides whether the president should be removed -- a process that could take up to six months.
For the impeachment to be conclusive, six of the court's nine judges will have to back the assembly's decision. (Steps to impeachment)
The 57-year-old Roh, a human rights lawyer, is accused of violating election laws and has apologized for leading the country into a political crisis ahead of parliamentary elections next month.
The unprecedented vote prompted incredible scenes on the floor of the assembly with security guards dragging pro-Roh parliamentarians from the chamber while other supporters shouted and wept as results of the vote emerged.Extraordinary scenes
Roh's backers were furious at the results of the country's first impeachment vote since the nation was founded in 1948 -- some threw their shoes at the speaker while others wept, yelled, crouched on the floor or sang the national anthem. (Picture gallery)
The South Korean market was quick to react to the political uncertainty, with shares tumbling more than 5.5. percent after the news, recovering later in the day to end 2.4 percent lower at 848.80. (Markets rocked)
Meanwhile on the streets of Seoul, people were shocked and concerned about what Roh's suspension meant for a nation with an already fragile economy and a tense relationship with North Korea.
'Very much justified'
The decision to push for an impeachment came after South Korea's National Election Commission ruled that Roh should not have publicly aired his backing of the breakaway Uri Party in April's upcoming parliamentary elections.
Opposition lawmaker Park Jin said Friday's decision to impeach Roh was "very much justified," blaming illegal campaigning, financial scandals and an inability to run the country for the success of the vote.
Asked if Roh should now resign, Park said: "We are not forcing him to do so, that is his decision."
On Thursday, lawmakers loyal to Roh blocked the National Assembly from voting by occupying the speaker's podium in the parliament.
The session was then adjourned because speaker Park Kwan-yong could not reach the podium to call the vote.
The battle went through the night, with politicians cursing and shoving each other as 20 opposition legislators tried to remove the loyalists.
Commenting on the violence in the assembly, Park said the opposition had tried to avoid physical contact "but we had no other choice but to do so."
"History will judge whether our action today was justified or not," he told CNN.
Couldn't sleep
|  Politicians physically blocked off the speaker's podium. |
Roh, who was not in the chamber for the vote, earlier Friday apologized for the unprecedented political crisis.
"I deeply apologize to the people for the country being led into this impeachment crisis," Roh said in a statement read by his chief spokesman, Reuters reports.
"I couldn't sleep at all last night."
But the opposition was quick to dismiss Roh's statement.
"It's too late, and it's difficult to accept the sincerity of the apology," said Kim Young-tae, spokesman for the opposition Millennium Democratic Party and a member of parliament.
The South Korean leader had earlier hinted he might step down if his supporting lawmakers fared poorly during the nationwide April poll.
"I will make a political decision according the result of the parliamentary elections," Roh said. "I will use the people's will reflected in the parliamentary elections to judge what I should do."
"The bold decision I will make includes the question of whether I will step down or not."
Since taking office in February 2003, Roh's camp has been rocked by a series of corruption scandals.
Several close aides to Roh have come under scrutiny for alleged corruption, while three former aides were last year indicted on charges of collection of illicit funds for last year's presidential campaign.
On Thursday Roh apologized for the corruption, saying, "First of all, I am sorry ... I bow my head and extend my apology."
A nationwide probe has been investigating campaign contributions, and though Roh hasn't been personally implicated, the scandals have battered his reputation as an independent reformer.
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Associated Press contributed to this report.
