National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik passes a resolution demanding the immediate lifting of martial law, at the National Assembly in Seoul, early Wednesday. Yonhap

The National Assembly passed a resolution at around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, calling for the repeal of martial law. Lawmakers approved the resolution approximately two and a half hours after President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration.

The motion was passed unanimously at the emergency late-night session, with 190 lawmakers present.

Article 77, Clause 5 of South Korea's Constitution stipulates that "when the National Assembly demands the repeal of martial law with the approval of a majority of its members, the president must comply and revoke the martial law."

Upon the passage of the resolution, lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties erupted in applause, cheering in unison.

"With the National Assembly's passage of the motion to repeal martial law, the president must immediately revoke it. Therefore, the declaration of martial law is now null and void," Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik said, as he urged the military and police officers who were trying to enter the main building of the assembly to leave immediately.

Woo concluded by reassuring the public, saying, "Please rest assured, the National Assembly will stand with the people to protect democracy."

With the unanimous passage of the motion, Yoon is now obligated to lift martial law promptly, in accordance with the Constitution.

Citizens and police gather at the National Assembly in Seoul, early Wednesday, after President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law. Yonhap

Following Yoon's sudden declaration of martial law, the speaker immediately ordered all lawmakers to gather in the main hall of parliament.

Around midnight on Tuesday, military troops, believed to be part of the martial law forces, attempted to enter the Assembly's main building to block lawmakers from reaching the main hall. Some armed soldiers broke windows to gain entry, while lawmakers' aides and staff formed barricades to prevent them, leading to physical clashes.

Inside the main hall, opposition lawmakers, including Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), along with members of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), gathered after each party held their emergency meetings at their respective headquarters.

Aides to lawmakers and National Assembly staff stand at the entrance to the main hall of the National Assembly in Seoul, early Wednesday, to prevent troops from entering the hall while lawmakers vote to demand that President Yoon Suk Yeol lift martial law. Yonhap

The DPK leader pledged that the party's lawmakers would remain at the Assembly until the president formally announces the repeal of martial law.

"We will protect the lives and safety of the people until the end," Lee said in a Facebook posting.

He also told reporters that the martial law declaration itself had both procedural and substantive flaws, making it invalid. "And since the Assembly voted to demand the lifting of the law, it confirmed its invalidity," he said.

PPP leader Han Dong-hoon said the martial law declaration became invalid following the Assembly's vote. He added that it is illegal for the police and the military to exercise enforcement power, seemingly addressing the troops who were attempting to enter the Assembly's main building following the declaration of martial law.

"As the head of the ruling party, I deeply regret that this incident has occurred."

Citizens protested against President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law in front of the National Assembly in Seoul early Wednesday morning, as lawmakers held an emergency session to vote on calling for the law's repeal. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul