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How S.Koreans impeach president
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-03-12 11:30

Following are the steps required to impeach a South Korea or Republic of Korea (ROK) president, as set out in the constitution and under Constitutional Court rules:

A simple majority of the 273-seat National Assembly must register an impeachment motion with the single-chamber parliament.

(The main opposition Grand National Party and smaller Millennium Democratic Party did this on Tuesday with 159 signatures out of a possible 206)

Twenty-four hours later, the motion can be introduced to the chamber and voted on. A two-thirds majority of the occupied seats (180 votes) is needed to approve the bill.

(The opposition could introduce the bill on Wednesday morning and then vote on it. The bill will expire 72 hours after registration. It is possible to send the bill to committee or vote on it directly)

If approved by two-thirds of parliament, the impeachment bill must be examined at a Constitutional Court hearing where some of the members of parliament would act as "prosecutors." The parliamentary vote must be upheld by six out of the nine Constitutional Court judges.

(The judges are appointed by the president but three must be parliamentary nominees and another three must be nominated by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Their deliberations could take up to six months - the court has 180 days to deliver its ruling once the impeachment vote is registered with it.)

The president's powers are suspended from the moment the bill is passed in parliament until the Constitutional Court rules. In the meantime, the prime minister runs the country.

If the court upholds parliament's decision, the president is stripped of his office.

A fresh presidential election would have to be held within 60 days of the president being removed from office.

 
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