South Korean constitutional court upholds impeachment of President Park

Park Geun-hye attends a national convention of the ruling Saenuri Party in Goyang, north of Seoul August 20, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

SEOUL -  South Korea's Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye on Friday, removing her from office over a graft scandal involving big business that has gripped the country for months.

The court's acting chief justice Lee Jung-mi read the ruling on the impeachment, broadcast live nationwide, saying it was the unanimous decision of eight justices.

By law, the court's ruling takes effect immediately after the reading. Park will be required to leave the presidential Blue House as she officially lost all of presidential power and her title as incumbent president.

People attend a protest against South Korean President Park Geun-hye, a day before South Korea's Constitutional Court ruling on President Park Geun-hye's impeachment, in Seoul, South Korea, March 9, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

Park becomes South Korea's first democratically elected leader to be forced from office. A presidential election will be held in 60 days, according to the constitution.

The bill to impeach President Park was passed in the National Assembly on Dec 9 by an overwhelming majority.

A total of 20 hearings had been held as of Feb 27. Tens of witnesses appeared in the courtroom for questioning.

In recent months, almost 80 percent of South Koreans had supported Park's impeachment, but some 15 percent had opposed it.

In 2004, late President Roh Moo-hyun was impeached, but he was reinstated two months later.