In Pictures: Tense Night in Seoul After President Yoon Suk Yeol Declares Short-Lived Martial Law

AP Photo/Lee Jin-man
Military vehicle is escorted by police officers as people try to block outside of the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol surprised his country and the rest of the world when he abruptly declared martial law late on Tuesday, the first such declaration since the country transitioned to democracy in 1987. The decree was lifted only hours later.

The country observed a tense night as troops broke into the National Assembly in Seoul, lawmakers voted to block martial law and people gathered around the building in a show of protest.