CNN: South Korean President Declares Martial Law, All Media Will Be Under Control of Martial Law Command

EXCERPT:

VALERIO: "Jim, it is a stunning move. And we have an unpopular president who, in an unplanned televised address, said that he needed to implement martial law across this bastion of democracy here in east Asia in order to preserve the rule of law. So, going back to this speech that happened just about two hours ago, televised to the nation, President Yoon Suk Yeol writing that he is taking these measures to 'safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea‘s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements.' Now, Jim, at this hour, as we now cross over 12:01 A.M. Wednesday local time here in the heart of Seoul, it is unclear what exact measures this president will take here to implement martial law. South Korea hasn‘t been under this kind of rule, this kind of situation, since it was under the rule of military dictatorship in the 1980s. But I can tell you, just living very close to here, our CNN Bureau in the center of Seoul, police officers are on their phones, Jim, asking their superiors what is going on. Family members are getting to loved ones' homes as fast as they can, at least in my neighborhood. And we have protesters who are gathering at the national assembly a couple of miles away from here, who are trying to bring this to a stop. We have lawmakers in the middle of the night from the opposition party who are saying in so many words — paraphrasing, Jim — 'Hey, this this is supremely illegal, was done without any consent and needs to be stopped immediately.' So what we are probably going to see over the next couple of hours are members of the Democratic Party, the opposition here, trying to meet in the national assembly to cancel this stunning move. In terms of what we have been able to figure out, Jim, information just crossing over the Reuters wire before we go, all media apparently will be under control of martial law command starting immediately. We are trying to figure out what, if anything, that means for us here at CNN, what that means for democracy in South Korea. But truly an unsettling situation here as we cross midnight in Seoul, Jim."