South Korean parliament votes to impeach President

The South Korean parliament has voted to impeach President Park Geun-hye over a corruption scandal.

South Korean lawmakers began voting on Friday on whether 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 out of office in disgrace.

The National Assembly motion passed by 234 votes to 56, meaning some members of Park's ruling Saenuri party voted to impeach her.

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.

She has denied wrongdoing but apologised for carelessness in her ties with her friend, Choi Soon-sil.

According to Reuters news agency, there have been mass rallies every Saturday for the past six weeks calling for Park to quit, and opinion polls show overwhelming public support for her impeachment.

Parliament was closed to the public on Friday on orders of the speaker, and hours ahead of the scheduled vote, anti-Park activists reportedly scuffled with police as they tried to drive two tractors up to the main gate, where more than a 1,000 protesters were gathered.

Park, who is serving a single five-year term that was set to end in February 2018, said this week she would await the court's ruling, signalling that political crisis could drag on.

The daughter of a military ruler who led the country for 18 years before being assassinated by his disgruntled spy chief in 1979, Park is under intense pressure to step down immediately.

If Park leaves office she would lose presidential immunity, and could be prosecuted for abuse of power and bribery, among other charges.

Park's powers have been suspended. The nine-judge Constitutional Court will decide whether to uphold the motion and remove Park from office or reject it and reinstate her. Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn will be acting President until the court delivers a ruling.