Within the span of a chaotic six hours, South Korea saw its president declare emergency martial law, be denounced by his own conservative party leader, and withdraw his announcement once again, leaving the nation reeling. The last time a president declared martial law in South Korea was in 1980, seven years before the country became a democracy.

At his confirmation hearing three months ago, South Korea's defence minister Kim Yong-hyun rejected accusations from the opposition that he wanted to impose martial law. It was, the conservative hardliner said,

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has accepted the resignation of Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun and nominated ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Choi Byung-hyuk, as new defence minister, Yonhap news reported on Thursday.