The ouster of former South Korean President Park Geun-hye from office showed the strength of the country's democratic institutions, U.S. Senator John McCain said, reaffirming the alliance with Seoul.
"Under the most difficult circumstances, South Korea has demonstrated the strength of its democratic institutions. The peaceful transition of power to Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn and the execution of today's Constitutional Court verdict gives me great confidence that South Korea will emerge from this moment of challenge with renewed strength," McCain said in a statement.
"The South Korean people should know that the United States remains firmly committed to our alliance. The United States and South Korea must continue to work to strengthen economic and security cooperation between our two countries, especially as it relates to defending against North Korea's escalating nuclear and missile threats," he said.
McCain is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Earlier Friday, South Korea's Constitutional Court unanimously endorsed Park's impeachment, removing her from office before completing her five-year term that was set to end in February next year. By law, the country should elect a new leader in two months.
She was impeached by the National Assembly on Dec. 9 on charges of letting a close friend meddle in state affairs, colluding with her to extort money from conglomerates, and neglecting her duties during a 2014 ferry sinking that killed more than 300.(Yonhap)