South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declares martial law

Soldiers enter to the main building of the National Assembly in Yeouido, central Seoul on Wednesday. (Yonhap)

In an emergency address to the nation Tuesday, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in South Korea.

Yoon said at around 10:20 p.m. that the declaration was made to prevent "anti-state forces" from depriving South Korean citizens of their freedom and happiness.

"I will wipe out anti-state forces as soon as possible and normalize the country's operation," Yoon said in a televised briefing in his office, less than an hour before the martial law went into effect nationwide at 11 p.m.

"Anti-state forces" refers to the opposition-controlled parliament, as Yoon blamed his liberal opponents for the political gridlock the conservative ruling bloc has suffered.

"Through martial law, I will defend and rebuild the Republic of Korea's freedom that is suffering a downward spiral," Yoon added.

His political opponents were "paralyzing the courts in the country by threatening the judges and impeaching prosecutors, and by attempting to remove the Interior Minister, top broadcasting regulator, chief of the Board of Audit and Inspection, and the Defense Minister," Yoon claimed.

Police tightened security as people attempted to enter the main gate of the National Assembly in Yeouido on Tuesday, following President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law. (Yonhap)

Yoon referenced the opposition Democratic Party lawmakers' move to criticize judges in the Seoul Central District Court for handing down the suspended sentence to opposition leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung, its latest move to float the impeachment motion to remove BAI Chief Choi Jae-hae and the prosecutors who found Yoon's wife Kim Keon Hee not guilty of any crime despite her alleged involvement in stock manipulation.

Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, Korea Communication Commission Lee Jin-soo and former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup have faced pressure to be impeached during Yoon's tenure since 2022.

Yoon also slammed the opposition party's recent move to cut 4 trillion won ($2.8 billion) from the proposed 2025 national budget, saying the opposition party is using the national budget to paralyze the Yoon administration.

President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers an address to the nation in his office on Tuesday. (Presidential office)

Yoon described the National Assembly, where 170 seats out of 300 are occupied by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, as a "hotbed of criminals" who seek to upend the freedom and democracy in Asia's fourth-largest economy.

"The National Assembly is supposed to serve as the foundation of freedom and democracy, but it is rather triggering a collapse of the freedom and democracy," Yoon said.

South Korea last declared martial law nationwide in May 1980, when the country was under the control of a military coup led by Chun Doo-hwan, who later became president in September 1980. Martial law was lifted in 1981.

As martial law goes into effect, any political activities will be banned in South Korea, and citizens will be deprived of their rights to assembly and publication.

By Son Ji-hyoung(consnow@heraldcorp.com)