South Korea’s parliament passes revision to rules governing martial law

Demonstrators take part in a protest in front of the National Assembly in Seoul

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea’s parliament approved on Thursday a revision to rules governing martial law, in a move that comes after the country was shocked by former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s sudden declaration of martial law in December.

The new rules include barring any attempt to hinder lawmakers from entering the National Assembly, and prohibiting the military and police from entering the National Assembly without the approval of the Speaker of the National Assembly.

Yoon’s martial law decree was lifted after about six hours when lawmakers, who had been forced to scale walls of the assembly building to make it through a ring of security forces, voted the decree down.

(Reporting by Joyce LeeEditing by Ed Davies)