We're pausing our live coverage. Thank you for joining us. Here are the important developments today:

• The opposition is looking to put a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol to a vote on Saturday evening, even as his partymates say they will oppose it.
• The opposition needs at least eight of Yoon's party members to back the motion so that it can be passed by a two-thirds majority of the 300-strong parliament
• Police say they are investigating Yoon for alleged "insurrection"
• Protesters have gathered in the capital for a second day to call on Yoon to resign, but there was also a small group that supports the president
• Defence minister Kim Yong-hyun has resigned. South Korean media have reported that it was him who urged Yoon to declare martial law.
• Army chief Park An-su, who headed the martial law command, also resigned. He had told an investigation in parliament today that he was unfamiliar with what Yoon's martial law notice entailed
• South Korean shares dropped for a second day. Workers at Hyundai, the country's largest car maker, joined walkouts demanding Yoon's resignation

Read more about how pressure for Yoon to resign is increasing ahead of Saturday's impeachment vote here.

Tessa Wong & Yuna Ku
Reporting from Seoul

In parliament today, the military’s martial law commander Park An-su and the vice-defence minister Kim Seon-ho were questioned for their roles in enacting martial law.

Park said he did not write the martial law notice, and that he did not know how the situation was developing on the ground, while Kim said he only learnt about the imposition of martial law from the news.

Their statements have earned scorn from some ordinary citizens from both sides of the political divide.

“(They are) very cowardly. I don’t believe them… they are avoiding taking all the responsibility,” said Kelly Kim, an environmental rights activist, who did not support the move to impose martial law.

“Because the whole thing is unlawful… they can be prosecuted, they could go to jail and everything, right? So that’s why they are denying everything, (saying) that they are not responsible for this.

”At a pro-Yoon rally, right-wing supporter Choi Sang-won also called them “irresponsible cowards”.

“The President should not shoulder the burden alone. We, all the right-wing citizens, should. If you're in charge of a country, you shouldn’t say ‘you didn't know’. You say things according to your conviction.”

Image source, EPA-EFE

Tessa Wong & Yuna Ku
Reporting from Seoul

The latest polls show nearly three-quarters of South Koreans are in favour of Yoon’s impeachment. But that’s a sentiment that nobody shares here at a pro-Yoon rally at Seoul’s City Hall.

They believe Yoon was right to put in place martial law. “I feel sorry (for Yoon)… I think he was too gentle, so he didn’t force it through in the end,” said Choi Sang-won, 73.

“I think we needed it, because our country is on the verge of collapsing. The Democratic Party, pro-China, pro-Russia, pro-North Korea groups are responsible for this.”

His friend next to him agreed. “Social order had been maintained in the past, thanks to martial law. Now many people are sick (in the head), they don’t know what’s right or wrong,” said Choi Jung-sik, 74.

“(Opposition leader) Lee Jae-Myung and his followers are only trying to take power by bringing down this regime. They do not care about the country at all.”

Image source, Tessa Wong

João da Silva
Business reporter

South Korea's benchmark Kospi index ended Thursday's trading session nearly 1% lower, extending its losses for a second day after President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law imposition

Financial companies and car manufacturers were among the day's biggest losers.

Shares in the country's largest car maker, Hyundai, ended more than 2% lower while those of sister vehicle maker, Kia, fell 4%.

It came as Hyundai workers joined walkouts, demanding President Yoon's resignation.

South Korea's car and financial industries were among the sectors that benefited the most from the Yoon administration's "Corporate Value-up Programme", aimed at boosting the domestic stock market.

Tessa Wong
in Seoul

Earlier, we were at a colourful rally at City Hall organised by supporters of President Yoon Suk-yeol.

It’s attracted a small crowd of about 100 mostly older folk – perhaps unsurprising given the widespread disapproval of Yoon’s actions among the general public. In spite of their size, the crowd remains fervent in their cause.

"Amen!" the emcee shouts as he takes to the stage.

"Amen!" the crowd roars back, as they enthusiastically wave South Korean and US flags. One woman jumps to her feet and begins praying, her palms out and her eyes closed.

Later in the rally, as joyful worship songs blare out on the speakers, the emcee leads the crowd in a chant: "Let’s get rid of the pro-North forces!"

Many of them belong to a part of the right-wing camp which is very pro-US and Christian. They believe that the opposition is full of supporters of North Korea who are out to overthrow the government.

Yoon, in his declaration of martial law, had spoken of getting rid of "pro-North anti-state" forces, a term he has used in the past to describe the opposition.

Tessa Wong
in Seoul

As the evening rain falls on Seoul Station, a major transport hub in the city, another protest rally organised by unionists goes past.

Clad in raincoats, holding umbrellas and banners, the demonstrators march briskly behind a truck with a protest leader shouting slogans.

"Let's come together, as citizens and labourers, to take down Yoon!" he shouts at office workers watching on the side.

Image source, Tessa Wong

Image source, Tessa Wong

Jake Kwon
Reporting from Seoul

South Korean police are investigating President Yoon Suk Yeol for alleged "insurrection" over his declaration of martial law. But how will it pan out?

Insurrection is one of only two crimes in South Korea that transcends presidential immunity. It’s a serious offence and is punishable by death for the leader of the insurrection.

But investigating the president will be difficult: it is unclear who gave which order and Yoon has kept silent. Beyond the facts, the deciding factor will be how far investigators are willing to go.

Presidents can appoint and replace the chiefs of police and prosecution, making the chief executive practically immune from suit.

But once Yoon steps down or is impeached, he will be exposed to the very machine he is all too familiar with. He was the chief prosecutor before his election.

Some of Yoon's predecessors have met unfortunate ends. Since democracy was restored in 1987, four former presidents were jailed while one killed himself while under investigation for corruption. It has become a regular occurrence for the administration to investigate the one before it.

Whatever Yoon is thinking now, avoiding the fate of his predecessors is likely at the very front of his mind.

South Korea's army chief Park An-su said he offered to resign yesterday, according to Yonhap news agency.

Park was the martial law commander, but he had told parliament earlier today that he had very little to do with President Yoon's declaration on Tuesday night.

"While we are military experts, we are not experts on martial law," he said, adding that he was not involved in drafting the order.

Earlier today, Yoon accepted the resignation of Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who reportedly proposed martial law to him.

Five MPs from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) have held a press conference which could spell trouble for President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The five lawmakers - Kim Jae-sub, Kim Sang-wook, Kim So-hee, Kim Yae-ji and Woo Jae-jun - have called on Yoon to make a national apology for his decision to declare martial law on Tuesday night.

But more importantly, they have said they have not decided how they will vote on the impeachment motion tabled by the opposition on Wednesday.

The impeachment motion needs 200 votes to pass. The opposition have 192 seats and would need at least eight of the 108 ruling party MPs to back their motion for it to pass.

The party chief of the PPP Han Dong-hoon earlier said that the party would block the impeachment motion, but if these five MPs break with party line, opposition leaders will be hoping more will be persuaded.

The lawmakers added that whatever they decided, they would vote together.

Image source, Reuters

Good morning to our readers from the UK and good afternoon to those in Asia. If you're just joining us, here's a quick summary of what's been unfolding in South Korea today:

• Police are investigating President Yoon Suk Yeol for alleged "insurrection" over his short-lived declaration of martial law. The investigation reportedly comes after the opposition filed a complaint against Yoon and other key figures involved in Tuesday night's events.
• Defence chiefs - including army chief Park An-su and vice defence minister Kim Seon-ho - were grilled by MPs in parliament this morning, and it's becoming clear how few knew about the plan to declare martial law.
• Earlier today Yoon accepted the resignation of former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun, who reportedly suggested the idea of declaring martial law to the president. Authorities have ordered a travel ban on Kim.
• The vote on whether Yoon should be impeached is scheduled to take place at 19:00 local time (10:00 GMT) on Saturday. Opposition lawmakers filed the impeachment motion yesterday.
• Yoon's ruling People Power Party has agreed it will oppose the impeachment, but party chairman Han Dong-hoon has asked Yoon to resign from the PPP.
• Protests against the president as well as pro-Yoon rallies have continued across Seoul.

What is happening in South Korea?

South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol announced in a shock TV speech on Tuesday that he was imposing martial law. Soldiers entered parliament, but less than two hours later angry MPs also forced their way in and voted to block Yoon's move. Yoon reversed his initial decision, and is now facing impeachment proceedings.

What is martial law?

Martial law is when a civilian government is replaced by military rule. It's usually temporary in a time of emergency, but can run indefinitely. It can also be accompanied by a suspension of people's normal civil rights.

Why was martial law declared?

President Yoon said it was to protect the country from "North Korea's communist forces", but observers say he was facing his own political troubles and was trying to get a grip on power.

What does impeachment mean?

Impeachment is the process of bringing charges against an official for misconduct in office.

Where do things stand now?

A motion to impeach Yoon was introduced by opposition lawmakers on Thursday, and is set to be put to a vote on Saturday night.

South Korea's defence minister, who many claim to be behind Yoon's martial law order, has resigned and apologised for his involvement.

A viral video from Tuesday - when martial law was briefly declared in South Korea - captured a shocking moment: armed soldiers entering the National Assembly, and a woman standing defiantly before them at gunpoint.

"I didn’t think…I just knew we had to stop this," the woman, Ahn Gwi-ryeong, told the BBC.

Arriving at the National Assembly just past 23:00, Ahn - a 35-year-old spokeswoman for the opposition Democratic Party - recalled turning off office lights to avoid detection, as helicopters circled overhead.

By the time she reached the main building, soldiers were confronting officials, aides and citizens.

When the military began advancing, Ahn stepped forward.

"Honestly, I was scared at first…but seeing such confrontation, I thought, ‘I can’t stay silent'," she said.

Overcome with emotion, she said it is "heartbreaking and frustrating that this is happening in 21st Century Korea", before breaking down in tears.

Read more about Ahn's account here

Among the various protests taking place today, one is being held by a group of marine veterans.

A dozen of them rallied in front of the presidential office this morning, demanding Yoon to be removed from power.

One thing that caught reporters' eyes was a head-shaving ceremony, where a veteran and his wife had their hair cut off in front of fellow protesters.

South Korea has a long tradition of hair shaving as a form of protest. The act is rooted in traditional Confucian teaching, and has historically been seen as a way of demonstrating commitment to a cause.

Read more about the tradition of head-shaving protests in South Korea's politics.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

The uncertainty in South Korea's political space will likely be resolved in the coming weeks, says Thomas Hubbard, a former US ambassador to the country.

Mr Hubbard, who had a four-decade long career in foreign service, does not expect the event to have a large impact on business and investors.

He told the BBC's Business Today programme that Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will provide South Korea with steady leadership if President Yoon is impeached."The current prime minister of of South Korea... is a very stable man with a very steady hand, a long time senior civil servant in Korea (and) former ambassador to the United States," Mr Hubbard said."I feel very confident that he will manage this process better than almost anyone else could."

Image source, PA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

South Korean police are investigating President Yoon Suk Yeol for alleged "insurrection" over his declaration of martial law, a senior police officer said Thursday.

The investigation reportedly comes after the opposition filed a complaint against Yoon and other key figures involved in Tuesday night's events.

Insurrection is a crime that transcends presidential immunity and can carry the death penalty.

Woo Jong-soo, head of the National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency, told lawmakers that "the case has been assigned", according to news agency AFP.

The police have been instructed to put an emergency travel ban on Kim Yong-hyun, the former Minister of National Defence, whose resignation was accepted this morning by President Yoon.

The move comes as authorities deem Kim a flight risk, according to local media reports.

Senior police official Woo Jong-soo said at a meeting today that he had instructed a security chief to "impose an urgent travel ban" on Kim and review any other measures that need to be taken.

Kim has apologised for his role in Tuesday's shock martial law declaration. Some local media reports say that he was the one who had suggested the idea of declaring martial law to Yoon - a claim that was repeated by Interior Minister Lee Sang-min during a briefing this morning.

Image source, Getty Images

If Yoon is impeached in the coming days, he would be the second South Korean president to be suspended from office in less than 10 years.

In 2016, then-President Park Geun-hye was impeached after being accused of helping a friend commit extortion.

The country's impeachment process is relatively straightforward and it's been carried out a few times. To pass, a motion requires the support of two-thirds of South Korea's 300-member National Assembly - which translates to at least 200 votes.

Once the impeachment is approved, a trial is held before the Constitutional Court - a nine-member council that oversees South Korea's branches of government.

If six of the court's members vote to sustain the impeachment, the president is formally removed from office.

Back in 2016, 234 MPs voted to oust President Park.

In 2004, another South Korean president, Roh Moo-hyun, was impeached and suspended for two months. The Constitutional Court later restored him to office.

João da Silva
Business reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Workers at car maker Hyundai are preparing to stage walkouts of four hours each on Thursday and Friday, according to Yonhap News Agency.

The company's 43,000-strong union is part of the Metal Workers' Union which has vowed to launch a full strike on 11 December if the South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol does not step down.

Shares in the vehicle manufacturer were more than 1.6% down in Seoul.

South Korea's financial markets appeared stable on Thursday after President Yoon's botched attempt to impose martial law left Asia's fourth largest economy mired in political uncertainty.

The benchmark Kospi share index was down 0.4%.

The South Korean won also steadied as the government said it would activate market stabilisation funds worth 40 trillion won ($28.3bn, £22.2bn).

Tessa Wong
in Seoul

As South Korea continues to digest the political turmoil triggered by President Yoon's short-lived decision to invoke martial law, various groups are holding protest marches and rallies in Seoul on Thursday.

One wound past the BBC bureau at lunchtime, comprising of hundreds of unionists taking part in a general strike that was called yesterday in response to Yoon's actions. It's calling for better workers' rights, while another slated for later today will call for Yoon to step down.

More rallies have been announced for today by other political parties and interest groups. Most are calling for Yoon's impeachment - though a few are also supporting the embattled president.

The turnouts are expected to be small for now, as most people are at work or school, but we expect the protests to swell in numbers by this evening as people join after work.

The vote on whether President Yoon should be impeached will take place at 19:00 local time (10:00 GMT) on Saturday, South Korean media have reported, citing opposition lawmakers.

Although the opposition has a majority of 192 seats in parliament, it needs at least eight of the 108 ruling party lawmakers to back the motion in order for it to pass.

Yoon's ruling People Power Party has agreed it will oppose his impeachment, according to Yonhap.