South Korea lawmakers vote to impeach leader

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

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

Ms Park's authority now passes to Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn.

She has been embroiled in a political scandal that led thousands of Koreans to take to the streets in recent weeks demanding her removal from power.

At the heart of the crisis is the relationship between Ms Park and her close confidante, Choi Soon-sil, who stands accused of using her connections to gain influence and financial benefits.

Prosecutors say Ms Park had a "considerable" role in the alleged corruption, which she has denied and over the last few weeks she has repeatedly apologised for her role in scandal.

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