South Korean lawmakers on Tuesday endorsed former prosecutor Chung Hong-won's nomination as prime minister amid a partisan standoff over President Park Geun-hye's Cabinet nominations.

The 68-year-old, who helped Park's ruling Saenuri Party in the April parliamentary elections last year, was named earlier this month as the first prime minister in the new government.

The nomination, which came one day after Park was sworn in, was approved by a vote of 197-67, while eight abstained.

The parliament is expected to hold confirmation hearings for minister-nominees in the coming weeks, with opposition parties vowing to veto some of Park's Cabinet nominations.