Summary

How two hours of martial law unfolded in South Korea

Live Reporting

Edited by Francesca Gillett and Tinshui Yeung, with Nick Marsh, Jake Kwon, Tessa Wong and Leehyun Choi reporting from Seoul

  1. In pictures: People cheer as barricades removed from parliament

    We have been following events unfold in Seoul in the last few hours - and in the last 60 minutes President Yoon Suk Yeol has reversed his martial law announcement.

    Troops have been pulled back from the National Assembly - but there is a sense of what happens next.

    Here are the latest images coming to us.

    People surrounded a military vehicle outside the National Assembly in Seoul after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial lawReuters

    People surrounded a military vehicle outside the National Assembly in Seoul after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in an unexpected announcement

    People react outside National Assembly, after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced that he will lift the martial lawReuters

    People are later seen celebrating outside the National Assembly after it was announced that martial law would be lifted

    Officials remove the furniture barricades from the doors of the National Assembly buildingReuters

    Officials remove the furniture barricades from the doors of the parliament building

  2. South Korea cabinet lifts martial law - report
    Breaking

    South Korea's cabinet has lifted the martial law announced by President Yoon Suk Yeol, according to the Yonhap news agency.

    Yonhap is also reporting that the South Korean military has disbanded the martial law command.

  3. Disbelief amongst MPs at Yoon's high-stakes game

    Jake Kwon
    Reporting from Seoul

    President Yoon Suk Yeol has given another televised speech to say he will lift the martial law, and the question is what next?

    MPs are still in the National Assembly building. There is a sense of disbelief that Yoon would play such a high-stake game and then back off so easily.

    We have seen videos of the army leaving the National Assembly and the members inside to say they have seen the military and police leave the chamber.

    The protesters here are not going away any time soon. They want to stay until all of the military and police go home.

    There is a bit of a consensus from opposition party members that Yoon should step down or be impeached.

  4. Martial law will be lifted when ministers meet, says Yoon

    Jake Kwon
    Reporting from Seoul

    South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol has said in a televised speech that he tried to assemble the cabinet to lift the martial law.

    But it's early in the morning here, so they couldn't make it.

    He says as soon as he has gathered the minimum number which must be present for martial law to be lifted, he will do so.

  5. South Koreans celebrate as Yoon withdraws martial law troops

    Moments after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced he would lift the martial law people outside the National Assembly celebrated, the AFP news agency reports.

    It adds that Yoon says martial law troops have withdrawn after the National Assembly voted to block his imposition of military rule.

  6. Yoon says he will lift martial law
    Breaking

    President Yoon Suk Yeol says he will lift martial law after parliament voted to block it, Yonhap news reports.

    We'll bring you more details when we have them.

  7. Latest advice from UK government as it expresses 'deep concern'

    Latest advice from UK government as it expresses 'deep concern'

    We have an updated statement from the UK government expressing "deep concern" at the events unfolding in South Korea.

    Catherine West, the minister for the Indo-Pacific, is calling for a "peaceful resolution to the situation in accordance with the law and constitution of the Republic of Korea".

    She also adds:

    • The British Embassy in Seoul continues to monitor developments and is in touch with the South Korean authorities
    • Brits in South Korea should follow Foreign Office travel advice which is being updated regularly

  8. 'Crisis is opportunity,' says South Korea's opposition leader

    South Korea's main opposition leader Lee Jae-Myung speaks with a microphone in front of him as he speaks to the media. There's a crowd of people standing behind him.Reuters

    South Korea's main opposition leader Lee Jae-Myung earlier said "crisis is opportunity’" while assuring people that martial law would not impact the functioning of the country.

    The law announced by President Yoon has been blocked by South Korea's parliament.

    "Crisis is an opportunity," he said.

    Although this country is keep going backward, this illegal declaration of martial law will not cause it to fall into a worse situation, but will now be a decisive opportunity to break the vicious cycle and return to normal society."

  9. America following developments 'with grave concern'

    "We are continuing to watch with grave concern, and we will continue to follow developments on the ground very closely," Vedant Patel, US State Department spokesperson, continues.

    Patel is also asked about Yoon's assessment that martial law was necessary to protect the country from pro-North Korea forces.

    He says there's a "long litany of reckless actions" carried out by North Korea, but it's not up to the US to "draw those kinds of conclusions" in relation to current events.

  10. US relationship with South Korea remains 'iron-clad'

    We're now hearing from a spokesperson from the US State Department, who's delivering a briefing.

    Vedant Patel, the principal deputy spokesperson, begins by saying that the secretary of state has been briefed on the recent developments in South Korea and emphasises that the US alliance with the country remains "iron-clad".

    Asked whether the US respects the decision of the National Assembly to block martial law, Patel says: "We want to see these political disputes resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law and such a vote in the legislature would be consistent with that approach."

    Patel says the US is in contact with the South Korean government and reiterates that the US was not notified in advance about President Yoon's plans to implement martial law.

  11. Biden briefed on latest South Korea developments
    Breaking

    The White House says US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the latest developments in South Korea after delivering some remarks in Angola.

    Biden is visiting the central African country as part of talks with his counterpart João Lourenço.

  12. The military needs to listen to us - not the president, assembly member says

    Tim Franks
    BBC Newshour

    Rarely do you get to speak to a member of parliament at 02:00 in the morning and even more rarely do you get to speak to them when they’ve just – in effect – broken in to grounds of parliament.

    But that is what we have just managed to do on the BBC World Service's Newshour programme.

    Hong Keewon is a national assembly member for the main opposition Democratic Party.

    He told me he had been asleep when the president made his late-night declaration of martial law. Hong’s wife woke him up to break the news.

    People gather outside the National Assembly, after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, in Seoul, South KoreaReuters

    Crowds of people outside South Korea's parliament have been protesting the declaration of martial law

    Hong says he couldn’t believe it at first. Then, he raced to the parliament.

    When he got there, police were blocking the entrance. So he told protestors who he was and they gave him a leg up to climb over the wall.

    Inside the chamber of parliament, he said everyone was united. Even members of the president’s own party can’t believe what’s going on, he said.

    “Democracy is strong here,” Hong insists, adding:

    The military needs to listen to us, to the constitution, and not to the president."

  13. In pictures: Leather benches used as part of National Assembly barricade

    It is now nearly 03:30 in Seoul, where crowds continue to gather outside the National Assembly following the president's shock martial law announcement.

    MPs have voted to block the move and there have been clashes since between protesters and security forces who have been trying to barricade the National Assembly.

    Here are some of the key photos from the last few hours.

    A man watches at TV at a train station in Seoul as South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol suddenly declared martial lawGetty Images

    A man watched a TV at a train station in Seoul as South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol suddenly declared martial law in the country during a late-night address

    Soldiers try to enter the National Assembly building in SeoulGetty Images

    Extraordinary scenes in Seoul saw soldiers clash with protesters as they tried to enter the National Assembly building in the capital

    Barricade are seen at the National AssemblyGetty Images

    Tables, chairs and leather benches have been used as part of a barricade inside the National Assembly

    Large crowds have gathered in Seoul - people can be seen waving flagsGetty Images

    Large crowds formed in Seoul with people demanding the martial law be lifted immediately

  14. US 'seriously concerned' about developments in South Korea

    A US National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson says that the US was not told in advance about South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's plan to declare emergency martial law.

    "The administration is in contact with the [Republic of Korea] government and is monitoring the situation closely as we work to learn more," the spokesperson has said in a statement.

    "We are seriously concerned by the developments we are seeing on the ground in the [Republic of Korea]."

    Meanwhile, a White House official has confirmed that President Biden has been briefed on the situation.

  15. 'It's a move I never expected to see in 21st century South Korea'

    A university student in Seoul says he is relieved the South Korean parliament has passed a law blocking the president's move to enact martial law, but adds "it's not over".

    "All Korean citizens are watching very carefully with very high concern. This is an urgent situation", JuneSeong Lee tells BBC World Service's OS programme.

    He says he believes university students protesting the Korean government could be "a major reason" for the president's declaration of martial law.

    Another university student, Juye Hong, tells the programme it's "a move I never expected to see in the 21st century in South Korea".

    And a South Korean citizen - who did not want to be named - says the president is "attempting to restrict everyone's freedom and right to express their concerns and judgement towards the government".

    "No words can express how afraid I am that things might turn out like North Korea for our people," they add.

  16. A high-stakes gamble Yoon cannot afford to lose

    Jake Kwon
    Reporting from Seoul

    As we've been reporting, South Korean lawmakers have overwhelmingly passed the motion to demand that President Yoon Suk Yeol lift the martial law imposed a few hours ago.

    The speaker of the National Assembly, Woo Won-Shik, has officially notified the president’s office and the defence ministry.

    Legally, the president must now lift martial law, but politically, we must wait and see. There's been no word from Yoon since he addressed the nation.

    This was a high stakes gamble for Yoon and he cannot afford to lose.

    The lawmakers are staying put in the Assembly Hall for now.

  17. Britons told: 'Follow advice of local authorities'

    We can bring you some comments from the UK's prime minister now, who has described the situation in South Korea as "fast moving".

    Keir Starmer's official spokesperson says the British government is monitoring the situation closely.

    “We would advise all British nationals to monitor the UK's travel advice for updates and follow the advice of local authorities," he adds.

    Extra advice on the Foreign Office's website also adds that British people should "avoid political demonstrations".

  18. Military says martial law will be maintained until lifted by president

    The South Korean military says it will maintain martial law until it is lifted by President Yoon Suk Yeol, despite the nation's parliament voting to block its enforcement, according to the country's national broadcaster.

    It follows clashes between protesters and the security forces who tried to barricade the National Assembly.

  19. If you’re just joining us, here’s what we know so far

    Lawmakers sit inside the hall at the National AssemblyReuters

    It's almost 02:30 in South Korea. Around 190 lawmakers are still sitting in the National Assembly chamber, having blocked the president's move to declare martial law just over an hour ago.

    The military personnel that had been in the building earlier have now departed - but the representatives say they will stay put in case of an attempt to disband the parliament.

    Here's how we got here:

    • In a late-night televised address, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol shocked the nation by declaring martial law
    • He said it was intended to protect the country from North Korean communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements
    • After the president’s address, the gates to parliament were shut - hundreds of protesters then gathered outside, with some chanting “no to martial law” and "strike down dictatorship" as police blocked the entrance
    • An opposition leader called on lawmakers to assemble in parliament to block the law - they did so successfully at 01:00, with the unanimous backing of the 190 members present

    Stay with us as we continue to follow closely these extraordinary developments in Seoul.

    A person gestures while standing among the crowd outside the National AssemblyReuters

  20. Assembly speaker says troops leaving parliament - reports

    The National Assembly speaker has just said that South Korean troops are leaving the parliament building, the Yonhap news agency reports.

    Soldiers had entered the building shortly after the president's declaration of martial law.

    Military forces stand outside the National AssemblyReuters