South Korean President declares martial law

"I declare martial law from 11 p.m. today (9 p.m. Hanoi time) to protect South Korea from threats from North Korea and eliminate anti-state, pro-North Korea forces, as well as protect the free constitutional order," President Yoon said on the channel.YTNDecember 3, referring to the opposition in parliament.

President Yoon referred to the opposition Democratic Party, which holds a majority in South Korea’s parliament, impeaching several senior prosecutors this week and rejecting the government’s budget proposal. Mr. Yoon said he had no choice but to resort to the measure to protect the free and constitutional order, accusing the opposition of using the parliamentary process to push the country into crisis.

Mr. Yoon said the opposition "is robbing the freedom and happiness" of the Korean people, "does not care about the people's livelihood, paralyzes the government to impeach and launch a special investigation, and seeks to let their leaders escape justice."

He said the opposition was "paralyzing the judicial and administrative systems and overthrowing the liberal democratic order" of South Korea. "I will return the country to normal by eliminating anti-state forces as soon as possible," President Yoon said.

The president did not specify what measures he would take. News agencyYonhapreported that the entrance to the parliament building was blocked.

Martial law is the imposition of direct military control over normal civilian functions or the suspension of civil law by a government, usually in response to an emergency. Martial law is often accompanied by curfews, a reduction in normal civil rights, and more severe punishments than normal law.

President Yoon's move comes as his People Power Party and the opposition Democratic Party spar over the 2025 budget bill. Opposition lawmakers last week approved a significantly reduced budget package.

The Democratic Party holds 170 of the 300 seats in South Korea's parliament. Mr Yoon's People Power Party holds 105 seats.

"Tanks, armored vehicles and soldiers with guns and knives will rule the country," Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, said after Mr Yoon declared martial law. "The South Korean economy will collapse beyond repair. People, come to the National Assembly."

This is the first time the country's president has declared martial law in 44 years. The last time South Korea declared martial law was when the Gwangju Uprising against the military government broke out in May 1980.

Following the announcement, the South Korean Ministry of Defense said Minister Kim Yong Hyun had ordered a meeting of key commanders and called for increased vigilance.

Mr. Kim Yong Hyun also ordered the South Korean military to maintain a state of emergency protection.