In the uncertain hours early Wednesday, many recalled the nation’s last martial law, which came after a coup installed a military dictator and triggered a deadly uprising.

I immediately thought of 1980, and the fear and desperation we felt,” said a 60-year-old lawmaker who lived through the massacre of protesters in Gwangju.

For an astonishing six hours today, South Korea underwent an attempted self-coup by its unpopular president, Yoon Suk Yeol, only to see the South Korean people force him to back down as they reasserted the strength of their democracy.

Legislators entered parliament and voted to lift martial law, which eventually lasted only two hours. By morning, South Korea had survived its first attempted coup in

The president’s short-lived declaration of a military emergency late Tuesday was young South Koreans’ first exposure to a state of affairs their elders remember well.

Martial law was first used in 1948 by South Korea's first president Syngman Rhee as he cracked down on communist uprisings, killing thousands. It was also invoked during the 1950-53 Korean War to allow South Korea to use its military to stifle anti-government protests.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol shocked the nation in a televised address, declaring martial law and calling in troops to secure the National Assembly building where parliament sits

"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

South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared martial law, citing the need to protect against "communist forces" amid budget disputes.