South Korea’s parliament and president are locked in a standoff after the president dramatically and unexpectedly declared martial law on Tuesday evening, sparking the most serious challenge to the country’s democracy since the 1980s.
The US said it was watching events in its key Asian ally – where it has 28,500 troops stationed to guard against North Korea – with “grave concern” and hoped that any political disputes would be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law.
