S. Korean Constitutional Court ruled to oust President Park Geun-hye

(AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

The Constitutional Court of South Korea ruled on Friday on the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye that she should leave her office over the corruption scandal.

The Constitutional Court of South Korea ruled on President Park Geun-hye to leave her post on the charges of corruption and abuse of power. Park became the first South Korean president to lose office through parliamentary impeachment. During the public protests, the legislature also accused the president of undermining freedom of the press.

According to law, at least six members of the nine-judge Constitutional Court should vote to impeach and all of the members voted on to oust. She is the first impeached president in Korea. The National Assembly voted in 2004 to impeach President Roh Moo-hyun, but the Constitutional Court reinstated him. Now the new presidential election must be held within 60 days.

The legal process on Park began with the public demonstrations over the president’s corruption scandals in the recent months. After the three-month-length investigation, prosecutors accused Park of bribery chain in the country with the participation of big holdings including Samsung CEO Lee Jae-yong, who is suspected of bribing Park and Choi in exchange for the business chain.

After the investigation, dozens of political and business people have been implicated in the scandal. Park’s powers were temporarily suspended after she was impeached by parliament although she has apologized for rocking the country politics but denied the allegations later.