South Korea martial law: The six hours that shook the country

"Fear, Fury, And Triumph: Six Hours In South Korea"

South Korea: A Two-Hour Martial Law Experience Unfolds

Nineteen-year-old Hwang was tuning into the news on Tuesday night, following the protests in Georgia, when the broadcast unexpectedly shifted focus. Suddenly, his own country was in the limelight after South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law.

"I was in total disbelief at what I was witnessing," remarked the 19-year-old student, who preferred to remain anonymous and only share his last name.

By Wednesday afternoon, he found himself among the demonstrators gathered outside the National Assembly, still in shock over the events of the previous night.

Hwang stated, "Being here is significant for me to demonstrate our opposition to Yoon's actions."

In just under six hours, Yoon had to retract his surprising declaration as lawmakers hurried to prevent its implementation.

Those were tumultuous times, leading to demonstrations, anxiety, and unpredictability in the nation that had chosen him.

On Tuesday night at 11:00 PM local time (2:00 PM GMT), President Yoon delivered an unexpected speech to the country while sitting in front of smooth blue curtains.

He stated that he was enforcing martial law to safeguard the nation from "anti-state" groups that supported North Korea. The beleaguered leader is facing a stalemate regarding a budget proposal, while also being hindered by corruption controversies and inquiries involving his cabinet officials.

What came next was a night filled with restlessness for Seoul.

Soon after Yoon made his announcement, police set up barriers outside the white gates of the National Assembly building, located in the center of Seoul. This building has been promoted by the country’s tourism officials as “the emblem of Korean democracy.”

The military subsequently declared that all parliamentary activities were on hold due to martial law. However, this declaration and the strong security measures in place did not deter thousands of people from assembling outside the assembly, driven by worry and anger.

It's easy to overlook the fact that South Korea, which is now a lively democracy, recently experienced a period of authoritarian rule. The country transitioned away from military governance in 1987, with the last instance of martial law occurring in 1979.

University student Juye Hong expressed to BBC World Service's OS programme from Seoul that he never anticipated witnessing such an action in 21st century South Korea.

Shortly after Yoon's startling announcement, Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party, held a live stream urging citizens to gather at the National Assembly for a protest.

He urged his colleagues in the legislature to come to the assembly and vote against the order.

Numerous individuals from South Korea reacted.

The atmosphere grew charged rapidly as a crowd of thick, dark winter jackets pressed against rows of police officers in bright jackets, shouting "no to martial law."

As military vehicles approached, people gathered to obstruct their path. A woman boldly positioned herself in front of one of the vehicles, lying down between its wheels.

In sharp contrast, the rest of Seoul appeared to be perfectly normal. However, a sense of confusion lingered throughout the city.

"The streets appear ordinary, but the people here are definitely confused," said John Nilsson-Wright, an associate professor at the University of Cambridge, in an interview with BBC World Service from Seoul.

The officer he talked to was just as puzzled as he was, he mentioned.

A woman stretches out on the road to stop a vehicle carrying a military unit.

For some, the night passed without sleep. "Initially, I was thrilled at the idea of having a day off from school," 15-year-old Kwon Hoo shared with the BBC in Seoul on Wednesday. "But soon enough, an overwhelming sense of fear took over, and I couldn’t sleep at all."

A South Korean, preferring to remain anonymous, shared with BBC OS, "I can't fully convey my fear that our situation could end up resembling that of North Korea."

At the same time, news circulated that elite troops had arrived at the assembly building. The sound of helicopters echoed above as they flew in circles before touching down on the roof of the parliament.

Journalists crowded together outside the gates, snapping photos with their cameras.

With rising fears that the government could impose limitations on the media, journalists in Seoul maintained communication among themselves, sharing tips on how to protect their safety.

Ahn Gwi-ryeong, the 35-year-old spokesperson for the opposition Democratic Party, was confronted by soldiers who had their weapons drawn. A video of this intense situation, showing her gripping the barrel of a soldier's gun, has quickly spread across the internet.

"I wasn't considering anything logical or analytical; all I could think was, 'We need to put an end to this. If we don't, there will be nothing left,'" she shared with the BBC.

Honestly, I felt a bit frightened when I first encountered the martial law soldiers. I couldn’t help but think, ‘Is this really possible in Korea during the 21st century, particularly in the National Assembly?’

"Following the intense storm we had last night, it was challenging to return to normal life," she said, reflecting on the events of the previous evening. "It felt as though I was observing history repeating itself."

While Ahn faced off against the soldiers, time was running out for the opposition lawmakers. They hurried to enter the assembly in an effort to prevent the order from going through. If they managed to do that, the president would be forced to retract it.

Before anything else, the MPs and their assistants needed to make their way inside. Some squeezed between security personnel, while others yelled and pushed against armed soldiers. Many desperately scrambled over fences and walls.

Lee Seong-yoon, a member of the Democratic Party, mentioned to the BBC that he had to climb over a 1.5-meter (4.9-foot) fence to get into the building. He stated that the police were still preventing him from entering, despite him presenting his ID that confirmed he was a legislator.

Another opposition member of parliament, Hong Keewon, mentioned that demonstrators assisted him in climbing over the wall. He had been sleeping when Yoon delivered the news, and after his wife woke him up, he hurried to the parliament.

"Hong stated that democracy is robust in this place. He emphasized that the military should pay attention to the people and adhere to the constitution rather than following the president."

Lawmakers had to push their way into the assembly...

And cast their votes while blocking themselves inside it.

The lawmakers who managed to get inside the building gathered together, appearing only a bit more at ease than those outside. In a rush, they blocked off the entrances using anything they could find, including cushioned benches, long tables, and sofas.

A few individuals attempted to force the soldiers out of the assembly building.

At 1:00 AM local time, Woo Won-sik, the Speaker of the National Assembly, put forth a proposal to revoke martial law.

Following Yoon's unexpected announcement, a group of 190 lawmakers, including several from his own party, convened and voted unanimously within two hours to reject it.

Members of parliament have voted against President Yoon's request for martial law.

Following the vote, opposition leader Lee informed journalists that this represented a crucial chance to end the ongoing cycle of turmoil and restore a sense of normalcy to society.

At 4:30 AM, Yoon appeared on television again, standing in front of the same blue curtains. He announced that he intended to lift martial law, but clarified that this would only happen officially once he gathered enough members of his cabinet to make the decision.

The announcement was greeted with applause outside the assembly. In the early morning hours, more individuals began to exit the building, coming out from behind the makeshift barricades they had assembled.

The grand structure is marked by damaged doors and shattered windows, showing signs of the night when the people of South Korea fought to preserve their democracy.

On Wednesday morning, schools, local shops, and banks conducted their regular activities, while flights continued to arrive without interruption in the lively capital of South Korea.

However, public outrage and the resulting political consequences were far from over.

As the sun came up on Wednesday, thousands of people came together to demand Yoon's resignation. The president is also dealing with impeachment proceedings.

"We pride ourselves on being a robust democracy... However, the people of Korea desire security - President Yoon should either step down or face impeachment," Yang Bu-nam, a politician from the Democratic Party, stated to the BBC.