South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol backtracked on his shortlived decree in the early hours of Wednesday local time and withdrew the troops deployed to carry out the order. South Korean lawmakers are now calling for resignations.

South Korea's brief period under martial law harkened to the country's past dictatorships. TOKYO (AP) — South Korea spent about six hours under martial law after President Yoon Suk Yeol issued a sudden, shocking declaration that harkened to the country's past dictatorships.