Declaration of martial law in Seoul causes chaos – in pictures

South Korea’s president Yoon Suk Yeol sparked major protests by announcing martial law. He reversed his decision in the face of massive opposition

South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung walks out from the main conference hall of the national assembly in Seoul after President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law late on Tuesday.

Photograph: Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images

National assembly workers spray a fire extinguisher towards soldiers.

Photograph: AP

Furniture is piled up behind a door which was damaged when military forces broke into the national sssembly building.

Photograph: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters

South Korean soldiers try to enter the national assembly.

Photograph: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

Members of South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party set up barricades at a entrance of the national assembly building in Seoul.

Photograph: YONHAP/AFP/Getty Images

People protest outside the national assembly in Seoul.

Photograph: Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images

People surround a military vehicle outside the National Assembly in Seoul.

Photograph: Han Myung-Gu/EPA

Furniture and boxes are piled up to barricade the entrance doors of the National Assembly.

Photograph: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters

A man wearing a national flag stands on the wall of the national assembly in Seoul.

Photograph: Lee Jin-man/AP

A man wearing an outfit with a face mask of South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol dances outside the national assembly in Seoul.

Photograph: Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images

South Korean soldiers try to get into the national assembly.

Photograph: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

South Korea’s national assembly speaker Woo Won-shik passes a resolution demanding the immediate lifting of martial law.

Photograph: YONHAP/AFP/Getty Images

Officials remove the furniture barricades from the doors of the national assembly building.

Photograph: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters

People rally to demand the resignation of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Photograph: Soo-hyeon Kim/Reuters

People take part in a rally to demand South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s removal from power.

Photograph: Soo-hyeon Kim/Reuters