TOKYO (AP) — Troops surround South Korea’s parliament overnight after the president declares martial law. He accuses pro-North Korean forces of plotting to overthrow one of the world’s most vibrant democracies. Lawmakers voice outrage, and hastily vote to end the declaration in an early-morning session.

Confusion, rumor and fear were spreading through South Korea before dawn Wednesday after the sudden edict by President Yoon Suk Yeol, the first martial law since more than four decades ago when the country was controlled by a dictatorship.

The declaration and a rushed vote by lawmakers to overturn it were moments of high drama for an unpopular leader who has struggled with political deadlock in an opposition-dominated parliament and scandals involving him and his wife.

While there was no direct evidence presented, Yoon raised the specter of North Korea as a destabilizing force. Yoon has long maintained that a hard line against the North is the only way to stop Pyongyang from following through on its nuclear threats against Seoul.

Amid the surreal scenes of troops massing around parliament, here are some things to know as this story unfolds:

Details on an “anti-state” plot are vague