South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in an unannounced late-night TV address, saying the move was necessary to protect the country from “communist forces.”

“To safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements… I hereby declare emergency martial law,” Yoon said in a live televised address to the nation.

This is a developing story and will be updated.