South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday declared emergency martial law, accusing the opposition of being "anti-state forces intent on overthrowing the regime" amid parliamentary dispute over a budget bill. The martial law is enforced by Army General Park An-su.

"To safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea's communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements plundering people's freedom and happiness, I hereby declare emergency martial law," Yoon said in a live televised address to the nation.

"With no regard for the livelihoods of the people, the opposition party has paralysed governance solely for the sake of impeachments, special investigations, and shielding their leader from justice," he added.

The surprise move comes as Yoon's People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party continue to argue over next year's budget bill. 

This comes amid the opposition reducing 4.1 trillion won ($2.8 billion) from Yoon's proposed 677 trillion won budget plan, cutting the government's reserve fund and activity budgets for Yoon's office, the prosecution, police and the state audit agency.

"Our National Assembly has become a haven for criminals, a den of legislative dictatorship that seeks to paralyse the judicial and administrative systems and overturn our liberal democratic order," Yoon said.

The declaration includes a ban on all political activities, such as those by the National Assembly, political parties, and demonstrations, and prohibits acts that undermine the democratic system, including fake news and propaganda. 

All media are now under martial law control, and strikes or actions causing social unrest are forbidden. Medical personnel on strike must return to work within 48 hours or face punishment. 

Measures will be taken to minimise disruptions to ordinary citizens' lives, while violators may be arrested, detained, or searched without a warrant and punished under the Martial Law Act. 

(With inputs from Reuters & AFP.)