Chaos ensues at National Assembly after martial law declaration

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Chaos ensues at National Assembly after martial law declaration

Published: 04 Dec. 2024, 00:58 Updated: 04 Dec. 2024, 14:27

SARAH KIM
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Police block the entrace to the National Assembly in western Seoul after President Yoon Suk Yeol declares emergency martial law late Tuesday. [NEWS1]

Chaos ensued around the National Assembly complex in western Seoul while soldiers attempted to breach the building soon after Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law Tuesday night.

Around 11:47 p.m., five helicopters circled the sky in front of the National Assembly.

At approximately 11:50 p.m., armed soldiers entered the National Assembly building soon after the presidential declaration. As of midnight, dozens of soldiers had entered the main building.

Martial command troops were seen attempting to enter the main hall of the Assembly early Wednesday. Some soldiers were spotted breaking windows to enter the main chamber.

Yoon declared emergency martial law against "antistate forces" Tuesday night in an unannounced press conference to "eradicate North Korean communist forces and pro-Pyongyang antistate forces."

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su, commander of the Martial Law Command, declared all political activities, including those of the National Assembly, local governments, political parties and political groups prohibited. Demonstrations, rallies and other activities inciting social unrest were banned.

Korean media have also been placed under martial law following the enactment of emergency measures.

Military troops mobilized under martial law are spotted breaking the windows of the National Assembly building to get inside the chamber early Wednesday in footage aired by broadcaster MBC. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Ahead of midnight, members of the public gathered in front of parliament, demanding to open the gates and crying out fears of the country's ruin.

Reporters and over 200 people gathered around the main gate of the parliamentary complex, which was blocked by police vehicles.

The liberal Democratic Party (DP) ordered lawmakers to urgently regroup at the National Assembly.

Lawmakers returned to parliament found the main gates blocked beginning around 11 p.m.

Sometime after midnight, people outside the parliament were heard shouting, "Let's protect the democracy of the Republic of Korea."

BY LIM JEONG-WON,SARAH KIM [[email protected]]