Martial Law Forces Enter South Korea's National Assembly Grounds
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Seoul, Dec 4 (NationPress) Martial law troops have entered the National Assembly grounds and are attempting to access the main parliamentary building on Wednesday after President Yoon Suk Yeol issued an emergency martial law declaration.
Troops were observed in a scuffle with numerous individuals trying to obstruct their entry, while a crowd of citizens and journalists gathered outside the grounds, creating a standoff with parliamentary guards and police.
Three helicopters, believed to be transporting soldiers, arrived at the compound around 11:46 p.m. on Tuesday, with some witnesses reporting seeing armed troops disembark.
Entry to the compound was restricted to lawmakers, parliamentary personnel, and accredited journalists following an ID verification process.
According to Yonhap news agency, troops were setting up barricades outside the main parliamentary structure.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok held an urgent meeting with senior economic and financial officials on Tuesday after the martial law declaration.
Choi, who also serves as Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, convened with the leaders of the Bank of Korea, the Financial Services Commission, and the Financial Supervisory Service, as per the finance ministry's report.
The Ministry of Industry later disclosed that it too convened an emergency meeting with senior officials to assess and deliberate on issues concerning the economic and industrial landscape, as well as energy supply, in light of the martial law announcement.
The ministry reiterated its dedication to closely monitoring industry developments, trade, and energy to mitigate the effects on the real economy.
President Yoon Suk Yeol announced martial law during an unscheduled late-night address, accusing the opposition of engaging in anti-state activities and conspiring rebellion.
