South Korea in turmoil

South Korea's President Roh Moo-Hyun has been impeached by parliament amid rowdy scenes that saw his supporters ejected from the chamber.

MPs loyal to Mr Roh hurled their shoes at the Speaker, shouted and wept as opposition parties won the vote which suspended his powers pending a ruling from the country's constitutional court. This could take six months, putting South Korea on course for an extended period of political instability.

But a smiling and apparently relaxed Mr Roh - confirming that his impeachment would be formalised later today - said he believed the constitutional court would throw it out.

Prime Minister Goh Kun, who becomes acting head of state, called an emergency cabinet meeting.

The move plunged the country into political and economic uncertainty. Financial markets reacted sharply, while shares fell by more than five per cent at one point with fears of a power vacuum damaging the economy.

The impeachment bill was backed by 193 members of the 273-seat National Assembly, with only two votes against. All the other MPs abstained or were not in the chamber after guards dragged out Uri Party members who had occupied Speaker Park Kwanyong's podium for three days. "You asked for it," the Speaker said as the president's supporters shouted and wept. Some were crying out: "Stop the coup."

The impeachment was tabled on Tuesday after Mr Roh was found by the country's electoral commission to have breached election rules by recommending voters back the Uri Party in next month's poll. He was accused of violating his neutrality and of incompetence.

Before the session began, the president tried to defuse the crisis by apologising. But this was rejected by his former backers the Millennium Democratic Party, which was joined in the vote by the Grand National Party (GNP).

Mr Roh has been severely weakened by claims that close aides and family members took up to £5.5million in illegal donations from businessmen. Opposition aides are accused of having taken even more money.