SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea's two main opposition parties submitted the country's first ever presidential impeachment motion today, targeting embattled leader Roh Moo-hyun after he was found to have violated election laws with comments aimed at influencing parliamentary polls.

The proposal was presented to the National Assembly with the support of both the Millennium Democratic Party and the main opposition Grand National Party, an MDP spokesman, Kim Young-chang, said.

It marked the first time since the country's foundation in 1948 that South Korean lawmakers have tried to unseat a president through impeachment, National Assembly official Oh Se-il said.

The motion needs a simple majority of the 273-member assembly to make it to debate and a two-thirds majority to pass. It was submitted with the support of 159 lawmakers, more than half, Kim said.

It was unclear when the measure would go to a vote. But once the motion is formally reported to a plenary session of the National Assembly, lawmakers must vote within three days after a one-day deliberation period.

If the National Assembly approves Roh's impeachment, his presidential powers are frozen and Prime Minister Goh Kun would take over his duties. The matter would then be passed to the country's Constitutional Court, where six of nine judges must rule against Roh to unseat the leader.

Last week, the country's election watchdog ruled that Roh violated election rules with comments that could unfairly influence next month's parliamentary poll.