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By Jack Kim and Ju-min Park, Reuters People gesture as they gather outside the National Assembly in Seoul. Photo: ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Wednesday morning, creating the most serious challenge to South Korea's democracy since the 1980s as lawmakers rejected the move in a vote and protesters gathered outside parliament. Yoon's declaration, which he cast as aimed at his political foes, was vocally opposed by the speaker of parliament and even the leader of Yoon's own party, Han Dong-hoon, who has clashed with the president over his handling of recent scandals. Under South Korean law, the president must immediately lift martial law if parliament demands it by a majority vote. Live television footage showed helmeted troops apparently tasked wit...

South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol made a shock announcement of martial law on television late Tuesday night local time. Soliders, police, and protestors headed to the National Assembly, inside lawmakers voted down the decree. Yoon has since said he will withdraw martial law. Here's how it played out in pictures: South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol made a shock declaration of martial law in a late night television addresss. Photo: ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP Soldiers soon headed to the National Assembly building in Seoul. Photo: JUNG YEON-JE/AFP Police attempt to hold back people trying to enter the National Assembly. Photo: JUNG YEON-JE/AFP Large crows gathered outside the National Assembly. Photo: JUNG YEON-JE Inside lawmakers passed a resolution demanding the immed...

By Jack Kim and Ju-min Park, Reuters South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said he would lift a martial law declaration he had imposed just hours before, backing down in a standoff with parliament which rejected his attempt to ban political activity and censor the media. Yoon declared martial law on Tuesday night local time to thwart "anti-state forces" among his opponents. But outraged lawmakers rejected the decree, in South Korea's biggest political crisis in decades. Yonhap news agency said the cabinet had agreed early on Wednesday to scrap the martial law. Protesters outside parliament shouted and clapped. "We won!" they chanted. One demonstrator banged on a drum. South Korea's won currency recovered somewhat after Yoon backed down and was 0.8 percent lower at 1414.45 per US dollar. Ch...

South Koreans were shocked when President Yoon Suk Yeol said in an unannounced live TV broadcast that he was declaring martial law - then reversed course just hours later. After initial confusion over exactly what measures would be taken, the South Korean military released a decree banning protests and activity by parliament and political parties, and placing media under government control. Few of those steps appeared to have been implemented before 190 of the National Assembly's 300 members defied police and military cordons to vote against the declaration, which Yoon then promised to lift. Photo: YONHAP / AFP Here is what we know so far: Why did Yoon declare martial law? Yoon said opposition parties had taken the parliamentary process hostage. "I declare martial law to protect th...