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.

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.

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.