South Korea spent about six hours under martial law after President Yoon Suk Yeol issued a sudden, shocking declaration that harkened to the country’s past dictatorships. Troops surrounded parliament after Yoon accused pro-North Korean forces of plotting to overthrow one of the world’s most vibrant democracies.

He made the announcement during a televised briefing, vowing to “eradicate pro-North Korean forces and protect the constitutional democratic order.”