Resignation demand against South Korea's president

South Korea's opposition has called on the country's president to resign immediately following his brief declaration of martial law.

If Yoon Suk Yeol does not resign of his own accord, impeachment proceedings will be initiated against the president immediately, the Democratic Party announced at an emergency meeting of the National Assembly on Wednesday, according to media reports. The declaration of martial law was "a clear violation of the constitution".

Yoon had lifted martial law during the night after all members of the National Assembly present had called on the President to do so. Yoon had cited the role of the opposition as the reason for imposing the state of emergency. He accused them of sympathizing with their neighbor North Korea. South Korea has formally remained in a state of war with its northern neighbor since the end of the Korean War in 1953, as the war ended with an armistice and not a peace treaty.

It was the first time since South Korea's transition to democracy in the late 1980s that the country's president declared martial law.

SDA