Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok became on Friday South Korea's second acting president in two weeks, as lawmakers voted to impeach the current acting leader, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, fuelling political uncertainty in Asia's fourth-largest economy.

Han has been the caretaker leader after President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached by the assembly over his short-lived imposition of martial law earlier this month.

South Korea's opposition-controlled National Assembly voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo despite vehement protests by governing party lawmakers, further deepening the country's political crisis.

South Korea's parliament impeached acting President Han Duck-soo on Friday, less than two weeks after suspending President Yoon Suk Yeol's powers over his short-lived declaration of martial law, plunging the country deeper into political chaos.

South Korea’s parliament is set to vote Friday on impeaching Acting President Han Duck-soo, potentially deepening a political crisis that has rattled financial markets and disrupted diplomacy efforts.

South Korea's opposition said Thursday it filed an impeachment motion against acting president Han Duck-soo, in an escalating dispute over the composition of the Constitutional Court which would decide whether to remove his predecessor from office.

The vote intensifies a political crisis as the Constitutional Court meets for its first hearing on suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law.