Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn is now acting President, and will hold the post for the duration of the court's deliberation on the motion to impeach President Park Geun-hye, a process that could take up to 180 days, CNN informs.

Lawmakers in South Korea's National Assembly have voted to impeach President Park Geun-hye.

Under the South Korean constitution, impeachment requires a two-thirds majority of the 300-member legislature to pass.  The vote passed by 234 votes to 56. There were six abstentions.

The impeachment is only the country's second. In 2004, late President Roh Moo-hyun was also forced out of office for two months. The Constitutional Court later restored Roh to power, rejecting charges of abuse of power and mismanagement.

The court's nine members need to return a two-thirds majority to impeach. In that case, a new election would be held within 60 days.

Last month, Park said that she would allow the National Assembly to decide the duration of her remaining term in office, and will resign if that is what they decide.

"I will relegate the decision to the National Assembly, including the shortening of my presidential term and resignation," she said. "If the National Assembly sets a path for the stable transition of power, I will resign from the presidency and lessen the confusion as much as possible. I hope that the nation will find stability," she added.

Park has faced terrible approval ratings and massive protests since it emerged that her confidante and adviser, Choi Soon-sil, had access to confidential government documents despite holding no official government position.

Choi is accused of using her relationship with Park to accumulate millions of dollars in donations to her foundations and has been detained after being charged with abuse of power, fraud and coercion.

Offices have been raided, top executives hauled in for questioning and two of Park's former Presidential aides, among others, have also been indicted.

As President, Park is currently immune from prosecution. Though her lawyers have said she is willing to cooperate with the investigation, last month she claimed to be too busy to meet with prosecutors.

In a recent poll by Gallup Korea, Park's approval rating was at 5% - up a point from her dismal previous showing of 4%. It also indicated showed that 81% of those polled supported her impeachment, CNN reports.