S Korean lawmakers put forward president impeachment bill

SEOUL -- South Korean lawmakers put forward a historic bill to impeach scandal-hit President Park Geun-hye early Saturday, after the opposition bloc heralded a vote on the motion on Dec 9.

A parliamentary official told Xinhua on the phone that the bill was handed in to the relevant office at about 4:10 a.m. local time (1910 GMT).

It marks the second impeachment proposal since the country's constitutional government was launched about seven decades ago. The latest was in 2004 for late President Roh Moo-hyun.

The impeachment motion was filed with the National Assembly by 171 opposition and independent legislators. The ruling Saenuri Party, which has 128 lawmakers, refrained from taking part in the proposal.

The assembly's speaker Chung Se-kyun of the biggest opposition Minjoo Party failed to join the move for political neutrality rules, but he reportedly plans to participate in the vote.