"Special forces soldiers inside National Assembly, BBC toldpublished at 10:30
10:30
Jake Kwon
Reporting from Seoul
As we reported earlier, the leader of South Korea's main opposition, the Democratic Party, has called on all its members to assemble at parliament - this has now been confirmed to the BBC by Representative Hong Kee-won.
Currently, around 70 members of the opposition are inside the assembly, while the rest are gathering outside, he says.
When Speaker Woo Won-shik arrives he will call for a vote to lift the martial law, Hong says.
Hong adds that he was told special forces soldiers are inside the assembly building. It is unclear what the soldiers are doing."
"Seoul residents fear escalationpublished at 10:51
10:51
Rachel Lee
BBC World Service
Photos of tanks lining the streets are circulating online, sparking confusion and concern.
Ra Ji-soo, a Seoul resident, reports hearing helicopters near her home. She also shares that a friend in the police force has received an emergency mobilisation order and was on their way to the station.
Kim Mi-rim, another Seoul resident, has packed an emergency kit, fearing the situation might escalate. She recalls that previous instances of martial law involved arrests and imprisonment.
Meanwhile, journalists in Seoul are co-ordinating closely, sharing advice on how to stay cautious. With martial law in effect, all media and publishing activities will fall under strict government control."
