Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies) –  The South Korean Parliament has passed a motion to impeach President Roh Moo-Hyun, with 192 votes in favor and 2 against. 181 votes were needed to have 2/3 majority to approve the motion. 

The impeachment is the first-ever to be applied in the country's history. The results will be the removal of the president's offical powers. Meanwhile the governement is awaiting the final verdict from the country's Constitutional Court.

The opposition party, the Millennium Democratic Party, has accused Roh of having violated laws governing election processes and of having a corrupt persons in his entourage. His is accused of having done little to improve the country's economy. Many analysts say that impeachment is merely a means used by the opposition to influence the Apr. 15 parliamentary elections.

Prior to the vote, Roh asked forgiveness for having provoked the political crisis in a statement read by his spokesman, Lee Byong-wan: "Regardless of who's wrong, I wish to express my sincere apologies for the... political confrontation which has lead to my impeachment." 

Last week Msgr. Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, the archbishop of Seoul, pointed out in his 2004 Lenten Message that faithful and politician are asked to be the "salt and light of the world through their conversions". In particular, his Message asked politicians "to overcome the current crisis through reciprocal understanding and pursuing the common good of society."  (MR)

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