Yoon’s announcement was a chilling throwback to the dark days of South Korea’s military rule four decades ago, when human rights abuses were widespread.
Chants of “Arrest Yoon” and “Impeach Yoon” echoed through the night air in front of thick lines of policemen guarding the perimeter and barring journalists from entering the seat of the country’s hard-won democracy.
Protestors waved banners with messages calling for Yoon’s resignation, while others carried South Korean flags.
“When I heard the news, I thought it was fake,” said Lee Jin-wha, 48, from Incheon, a city neighbouring Seoul.
“I could not believe martial law had actually been imposed.”
She said he was there to “protect our democracy, not just for us but for our kids”.
