South Korean President, Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday declared martial law in a nationwide broadcast.

Speaking via YTN television, Yoon claimed that he would eradicate “shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces”.

It is the first time since 1980 that martial law was declared in South Korea.

Yoon did not cite any specific threat from the nuclear-armed North, instead focusing on his domestic political opponents.

In the address, Yoon said he had no choice but to resort to such a measure in order to safeguard free and constitutional order.

According to Yoon, the opposition parties have taken hostage of the parliamentary process to throw the country into a crisis.

He said: “I declare martial law to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean communist forces, to eradicate the despicable pro-North Korean anti-state forces that are plundering the freedom and happiness of our people, and to protect the free constitutional order.”