Military invade National Assembly as President declares martial law

Credit: BBC News, BRICS News

The military invaded the National Assembly as President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea declared state of emergency and martial law in the country.

Military block entrance to National Assembly after declaration of martial law

National Daily Newspaper gathered that The President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, declared emergency martial law in a late night broadcast over disagreement between the ruling party under his leadership, the People Power Party (PPP), and the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), over 2025 budget bill.

Lee Jae-myung, Leader of Opposition Democratic Party

Yeol declared that the martial law was necessary to protect the country from North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements.

It was gathered that martial law implied rule by military authorities in a time of emergency and can mean the suspension of normal civil rights.

Both the ruling party and opposition have vowed to block the declaration, Yonhap news agency reports.

According to Agency Report, in his late night TV broadcast, President Yoon Suk Yeol said he had no choice but to resort to martial law in order to safeguard free and constitutional order.

According to him, “I declare martial law to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean communist forces, to eradicate the despicable pro-North Korean anti-state forces.”

Opposition lawmakers gather outside the National Assembly complex

Leader of the main opposition party in South Korea, leader Lee Jae-myung, decried the declaration, berating the President that it is unconstitutional.

Jae-myung requested all legislators from the Opposition Democratic Party to assembly in the parliament to vote down the declaration.

However, reports from Seoul indicated that police buses were moved in to block the entrance to the parliament building.

The last time martial law was declared in South Korea was in 1979 after the assassination of then dictator, Park Chung Hee.

As large crowds gather outside the National Assembly building in Seoul, a live feed from South Korea’s Yonhap news agency inside the building also shows people gathering there.

In the last half an hour, the feed captured what appeared to be a crowd of people attempting to force their way through a set of doors, as a chorus of shouting broke out.

Yonhap reports that only members of the National Assembly and other staff, as well as reporters, are being let in.

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There were reports earlier that parliament’s speaker planned to open a session there.

Thereafter, Special forces soldiers invaded the floor of the National Assembly, according to the BBC.

Currently, around 70 members of the opposition are inside the assembly, while the rest are gathering outside, he says.

When Speaker Woo Won-shik arrives he will call for a vote to lift the martial law, Hong says.

Hong adds that he was told special forces soldiers are inside the assembly building. It is unclear what the soldiers are doing.

Police enforcing martial law clash with protesters outside parliament as Opposition gathered.

Large crowds gathered outside the South Korean National Assembly, after the country’s president declared martial law.

A contingent of police officers were guarding the entrance gate to the building, which has been closed.