'Act of governance': South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol defends martial law attempt

South Korea's president has defended his martial law decree and denied rebellion charges: 'How can the constitutional decision and act of governance by a president, who saw it as the only option, be an act of rebellion?'

Because the opposition Democratic party controls The National Assembly and with that comes their right not to enact his policies.  Yoon-Suk yeol believed it was his right to end democratic rule in South Korea in the name of his own self interests. 

South Korea's president declares emergency martial law

 Ruling party and opposition both vow to block declaration - report

The Yonhap News Agency is reporting that the leader of South Korean opposition Democratic Party, Lee Jae-myung, has said the declaration of martial law is unconstitutional.

Yonhap is also reporting that Han Dong-hoon, the head of the ruling People Power Party - of which President Yoon Suk Yeol is a member - has also vowed to block the declaration, describing it as "wrong".

What is martial law?

In brief, martial law is a temporary rule by military authorities in a time of emergency, when the civil authorities are deemed unable to function.

The implementation of martial law can have legal impacts, such as the suspension of normal civil rights and the extension of military law.

Martial law is, in theory, temporary but it may continue indefinitely.

South Korea's president declares emergency martial law

In the last half hour, the president of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, has declared martial law.

In an unannounced late night television address he says the move is necessary to protect the country from North Korea's communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements.

to eliminate anti-state elements.

The above sentence tells you that Yoon-Suk yeol views those that disagree with him as enemies of the state. It would to the arrest and imprisonment of anyone who opposes what's just happened.