S. Korea's president faces impeachment over martial law

South Korea's former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun who resigned over President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched bid to impose martial law had ordered the deployment of troops to the parliament, the vice defense minister said.

The commander of the martial law troops Park An-su said he had no intention of wielding firearms against the public, while Kim Seon Ho the vice defense minister, said no live ammunition had been provided to those troops.

South Korea's parliament introduced a motion on Thursday to impeach Yoon over a botched attempt to impose martial law, while the defense minister blamed for advising the move and ordering troops to the parliament resigned.

Lawmakers from the opposition Democratic Party planned to put up a vote in parliament to impeach Yoon, a party spokesperson told reporters. Yoon's ruling People Power Party is divided over the crisis but said it would oppose impeachment with two years left in Yoon's five-year term.

The motion was introduced after Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law only to reverse the move hours later, triggering a political crisis in Asia's fourth-largest economy.

The surprise declaration ignited a standoff with parliament which rejected his attempt to ban political activity and censor the media, as armed troops forced their way into the National Assembly building in Seoul.

Yoon told the nation in a TV address that martial law was needed to defend the country from nuclear-armed North Korea and pro-North anti-state forces, and protect its free constitutional order, although he cited no specific threats.

The military said activities by parliament and political parties would be banned, and that media and publishers would be under the control of the martial law command.

But lawmakers defied the security cordon and within hours of the declaration, South Korea's parliament, with 190 of its 300 members present, unanimously passed a motion requiring martial law be lifted, including all 18 members present from Yoon's party. The president then rescinded the declaration.