South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared martial law across the country.

The conservative leader's move was announced during a televised speech, where Yoon Suk Yeol accused the left-wing opposition - which has a majority in the national assembly - of having North Korean sympathies and plotting a rebellion.

The president said he wanted to "eliminate anti-state forces as quickly as possible to normalize the country" and also pledged to "eradicate pro-North Korean forces and protect the constitutional democratic order," asking the South Korean people to believe in him and tolerate "some inconveniences." Yoon did not explain how martial law would be implemented.

In response, opposition leaders convened parliament and denounced the declaration of martial law as unconstitutional.

Yoon has been at loggerheads with the opposition for months, which accuses him of authoritarian tendencies. Last week, leftist parties also voted to cut nearly $3 billion from the proposed 2025 budget, a move seen as an attempt to thwart the presidency.

(Online Union)

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