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The impeachment motion against President Roh Moo-hyun was passed by the National Assembly on Friday. Speaker Park Kwan-yong announced the results of the vote at 11:56 a.m.; it had passed by a total of 193 votes for and two against.
With his impeachment -- the first ever under Korea's constitutional system -- President Roh's position will experience big changes. Firstly, the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee will send a written copy of the impeachment to Roh, and his powers and duties will at that moment be suspended. Roh's powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court hands down a decision on his impeachment; this can take up to six months. His powers as national head of state and chief executive are all forfeit during that time.
As head of state, he a) represents the nation internationally; b) protects both the nation and its constitution; c) supervises and arbitrates the political affairs of the nation; d) has the authority to form additional bodies based on the constitution.
As chief executive, he a) is the highest decision maker and has final responsibility in the execution of the law; b) organizes the executive; c) is head of the cabinet council.
For now, Prime Minister Goh Kun will assume Roh's powers of president.
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Lawmakers from opposition parties remove Uri Party lawmakers, who back President Roh Moo-hyun, from the speaker's seat in parliament Friday.
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Since this an unprecedented situation, however, and there are no concrete examples of a similar transfer of power, the Cheong Wa Dae secretariat is referring to former President Choi Kyu-hah's transfer of power in 1980.
The prime minister now assumes all the president's powers and duties, including commander in chief, the power to sign treaties and appointing and accepting diplomatic envoys.
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A man drove his vehicle loaded with gasoline to the parliamentary main building and set fire to the car while lawmakers were scuffling with each other for impeachment of President. Arrested by police, the driver said he was greatly disappointed by political bickering by lawmakers./Yonhap
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Roh cannot appoint civil servants, nor can he convene or preside over cabinet meetings. Not only is he forbidden from entering and speaking at the National Assembly, but he's also forbidden from inspecting government ministries or accepting ministry reports. He is forbidden from participating in normal national political affairs.
Nevertheless, Roh remains, officially, president. His powers and duties have been suspended, but he need not leave Cheong Wa Dae, and he may live at the official residence. He still gets his salary, bodyguards, and is ceremonially treated as president.
Meanwhile, just before the National Assembly convened, President Roh apologized to the nation for the political crisis sparked by the impeachment motion against him. In a written statement delivered by Cheong Wa Dae chief of staff Kim Woo-sik, the President said regardless of which side was wrong, he offered his sincere apology for the situation and felt responsibility as the head of state. President Roh also expressed regret for the death of former president of Daewoo Construction and Engineering Nam Sang-guk. Nam jumped off a bridge into the Han River in Seoul Thursday after President Roh denounced him during a televised news conference for allegedly trying to bribe the president's brother.
By Sung-Ho Youn and Robert Koehler
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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