South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun returned to work in a stronger position yesterday after the Constitutional Court reinstated him by overturning parliament?s unprecedented vote to impeach him.

Roh had been in political limbo since the opposition-led chamber voted amid rowdy scenes on March 12 to impeach him for breach of an election law, economic mismanagement and corruption among aides ? barely a year into his single five-year term.

A majority of the court?s nine crimson-robed judges ruled these were not grounds enough to oust the leader of the world?s 12th-largest economy and thrust it into chaos amid a nascent economic recovery and a crisis over North Korea?s nuclear aims.

«When I think of the seriousness of the trial, the political vacuum and the social costs, my heart still hurts,» Moon Jae-in, Roh?s lawyer and former chief of staff, told reporters.

After lunch with aides, Roh returned to his office in the sprawling Blue House compound for the first time in nine weeks and drafted a speech he will deliver on television on Saturday. He had left the grounds just once, to vote in the April 15 parliamentary election won by the Uri Party that supports him.

«The court decision is a victory for the people,» chanted Roh supporters outside the court as cars circled, flying yellow balloons, the Uri Party?s colour and Roh?s favourite.

While politically empowered after seeing off the opposition, Roh now faces the task of proving he can successfully reform the country unimpeded through the newly compliant parliament.

In what political analysts saw as a slap on the wrist for the impulsive Roh, the court said in its ruling the president had violated the election law, if unintentionally, and broken the constitution by calling for a referendum on his rule.

But the transgressions were not grave enough to oust Roh and force an election, it said.

Yun Young-chul, the president of the court, said in the televised reading of the judges? opinions that the counts of mismanagement and corruption were not grounds for impeachment.

«The court is overturning the case, since the impeachment case failed to win the required majority votes,» Yun said at the end of a 25-minute session. A majority of six was needed.

«WE FEEL VERY SORRY»

The verdict meant Roh was automatically reinstated after two months spent reading, feeding pheasants and hiking with his wife in the heavily guarded mountains above the Blue House.

«He returned with even stronger powers. That will enable his government to speed up and execute many pending policies,» said Jwa Seung-hee, chief economist at the Korea Economic Research think-tank.

«Without argument, his priorities are to create jobs and revive the weak local economy. We also hope he could play a role in helping to calm foreign investors? concerns over conflicts between management and labour unions.»

The South Korean stock market tracked the turns as the ruling was read and slipped when the verdict was clear. The bond market and the won were unaffected by the widely expected ruling.

Standard and Poor?s ratings agency said Roh?s return was potentially positive for the country?s sovereign rating.

«With a majority of seats for the ruling party in the National Assembly, I think President Roh can continue to pursue his economic and foreign policy in a more consistent manner,» Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon told the Asia Society in Seoul.

Roh would use his speech on Saturday to pledge a renewed drive to push reforms, his spokesman told reporters.

In his turbulent first year, Roh was often thwarted by resistance in the opposition-dominated parliament.

Political analysts and government sources say Roh is likely to rejig his cabinet, probably bringing in key Uri Party figures.

It was his pro-Uri remarks in February that first prompted the opposition to seek to impeach him. Uri Party leader Chung Dong-young said the court had confirmed the will of the people.

He said he would work with opposition groups but called for them to apologise for impeaching Roh.

«This is the only way to harmony and cooperation,» he said.

Park Geun-hye, leader of the main opposition Grand National Party that helped impeach Roh, appeared to meet that demand.

«We feel very sorry to the people for having caused unrest and concerns with the impeachment issue,» she said, adding the party respected the ruling and hoped Roh would be more careful.

Supporters from the Nosamo («We love Roh») group said they would hold a rally later in central Seoul, where yellow balloons carrying messages for Roh already festooned main streets.

Roh, a former labour lawyer, was expected to dine on Friday with Prime Minister Goh Kun, a veteran bureaucrat who served as acting president and won praise from the financial markets for stabilising the country and allowing the election to go ahead.

«The nation is faced with numerous serious challenges both inside and outside the country and that requires greater national unity than ever before,» Goh said after the court ruling.

Martin NESIRKY Paul ECKERT