South Korean president faces impeachment

South Korean lawmakers have begun impeachment proceedings against President Yoon Suk Yeol after thwarting his shock move to impose martial law, BBC reports.

Opposition lawmakers in South Korea have put forward a motion to impeach President Yoon. The motion will still need to be debated before going to a vote, possibly later this week.

Once an impeachment bill is proposed, at least two-thirds of South Korea's 300-member National Assembly must vote to impeach Yoon - that translates to at least 200 votes.

The vote must take place within 72 hours.

The next step now though, is for the Speaker of the Assembly Woo Won-sik to open a session for the motion to be debated - which could happen as early as two days.

The president had said martial law was needed to protect the country from "North Korea's communist forces" and to "eliminate anti-state elements."

But less than two hours after his declaration on Tuesday night, lawmakers defied the president, gathering at the National Assembly and voting to block his decision.

Some broke through barricades or climbed fences to get inside the building; there were scuffles between police and protesters outside.

After the assembly vote, President Yoon announced he was reversing his martial law decision - leading to celebrations outside parliament.

President Yoon Suk Yeol's staff have offered to resign en masse following his short-lived decision to declare a state of martial law on Tuesday, according to Yonhap News.

President Yoon himself is yet to make a public appearance.

Though he cited North Korea when declaring martial law, President Yoon's initial decision was seen as a response to domestic pressure and a series of scandals.

Meanwhile, North Korea seems to be staying quiet about South Korea's political turmoil - for now.