Opposition-controlled Parliament sets up impeachment vote

South Korea's opposition-controlled Parliament introduced an impeachment motion on Thursday against President Park Geun-hye, setting up a likely vote on Friday on whether to suspend her powers over a huge political scandal.

A parliamentary official reported the motion to a plenary session, which means an impeachment vote must take place between 24 and 72 hours. Friday is the final day of the current parliamentary regular session.

The motion needs two-thirds approval in the 300-seat single-chamber Parliament to pass. The opposition and anti-Park independents have 172 seats and they appear to have secured enough support from ruling party dissenters to pass an impeachment, according to political observers.