live from washington, this is bbc news. south korea's president is expected to address the nation shortly ahead of an impeachment vote over his failed attempt to impose martial law. meanwhile, protests have continued outside parliament in seoul, this is the scene there live. and a month on from the election, the shape of donald trump's top team is becoming clear. hello, i'm carl nasman, welcome to bbc news. south korea's embattled president yoon suk yeol is set to address the nation in what is his first public appearance since rescinding martial law. his speech comes ahead of an impeachment vote set for saturday evening.

we may have that speech beginning. let's listen in life. address in the country, he is speaking to south koreans there and that address his first appearance sends that failed attempt at martial law, we will bring you the updates, the translation once we have it but this happening right now in south korea obviously, very consequential speech therefore the president after out of the blue declaring martial law for

the first time in nearly half a century in that country. his decision was announced in a late—night tv broadcast, he mentioned anti— state forces as a threat from north korea and his decree put the military in charge, troops were deployed to parliament, we saw helicopters landing on the roofs but that moved from the hundreds of people together at and protest there still gathered, they are still pressuring both main parties in south korea to vote for impeachment against him. this year, it's a short address, bowing though, finishing up that address, we will get you exactly what the president has said is sooner we get those translations coming in but a very consequential address there the south korean president as we look at some pictures there from the scene on the ground in korea. making that address, will be following some of these developments now,

some of these developments now, some of these developments now, some of them coming in now and we will try to bring those as we will try to bring those as we can, we are now from some of these lines coming in saying that president yoon is apologise for causing a stir by declaring martial law, we heard some of that fallout in the country, this was seen as very drastic moves, something that was very unpopular among south koreans, we know that already before the move, president yoon was incredibly unpopular, some very low approval rating, if you look at the polling within the country and this was a move that prompted others of citizens to come out and protest, opposition politicians had to rush to vote against the move to impose martial law overturning it and this is one of the first time that we've seen the president in public since he declared that martial law. we will continue to follow the story for you, we will track those developments as we get them coming in here in washington but again, that address being made in korea, we

will continue to bring you the updates that we have, his been promising not to declare a second martial law but in the end, we willjust let you know exactly what that means and whether or not we will see that vote later on today in korean parliament. those of the life pictures there of south korea, you can see parliament building with that address been made by president very short address we have to say after declaring that martial law, as it caught some stir in the country. life protest happening outside of parliament, were expecting abode, we that there has been some reporting showing that president yoon had potentially requested the jailing of not only the leader of the opposition party by the leader of his own party. that may lead to support within his own party to support within his own party tojoin with to support within his own party to join with the opposition to vote to actually impeach

president yoon, that's been a big question, will they be enough votes within the parliament to pass any sort of impeachment bill within the country, it's not enough to help the support of the opposition party, some members of his own party left for the line as well and that's exactly what the protesters are out there saying, you can see them gathered in the distance that in front of the building but what they have been pushing for is his own party to vote with the opposition for an impeachment and again, not a popular president for this move, this was seen as a very unpopular move, this really shocked korea, tuesday night, out of the blue, declaring martial law for the first time in nearly half a century in south korea. this is something that they brought chaos to the parliament building there, we saw scenes of mps climbing fences, forcing their way into the building, there was an

emergency vote to remove martial law, the lawmakers wanted to make sure that they were there to vote on that, some of them forcing their way through the military, we heard from one of the leaders of the military coup told the country that when the martial law was imposed that he ordered his soldiers, not to use live ammunition, not to train their guns on citizens and not to arrest any members of parliament who wanted to enter the building so you can tell from his account how the level of follow—through on this martial law was not as high probably as the president was hoping for. again, we will continue to bring you lines from that speech as we get them here at bbc news, we are hearing some lines coming in but we want to make sure that we have those for you direct translations are so we will move on for another we will continue to follow that developing story. there are

other top stories now. it's now been a month since donald trump won the 2024 us presidential election, and before his return to the white house the president—elect has been setting out the top team for his proposed administration. his choices have not been without controversy. florida senator marco rubio for secretary of state, the president's main adviser on foreign affairs and americas top diplomat. key cabinet roles, like defence secretary, health, homeland security and secretary of state all need to be approved by the us senate. the republicans won control of the senate in the election. but if four republican senators and all the democrats disagree with any choices, the nomination will fail. pete hegseth, a military veteran and fox news presenter, who may have to deal with the wars in ukraine and gaza as defence secretary. after being picked by donald trump, it emerged that he was investigated

for an alleged sexual assault in 2017, over which he was never arrested or charged. he denies the allegation. and for health and human services, robert f kenneder. an environmental lawyer, vaccine sceptic and nephew of former presidentjohn f kennedy — rfkjr would oversee us federal health agencies, despite having no medical qualifications. outside of the 15 department heads there are multiple other key roles — some need senate approval, like fbi director, head of the cia and un ambassador. but others don't, for example the appointment of billionaire elon musk and former presidential hopeful vivek ramaswamy to a new, non—governmantal advisory board, named the department of government efficiency. so how is trump's cabinet coming together, a month after his election victory? it has been a month since democrats faced a significant election setback, revealing fractures within the party that have sparked intense debate. while some party leaders attribute vice president kamala harris�*s loss to economic concerns such as inflation and an anti—incumbent sentiment among voters, others warn that the party faces a deeper crisis

over its future. donald trump won in all battleground states and became the first republican to win the national popular vote since george w bush in 200a. as the democratic party reconsiders its identity and direction, the democratic national committee is set to elect a new chair in february. questions remain about whether delegates will choose someone familiar with the party's intricate dynamics or go for an outsider they think may shake things up. in his first speech since last month's election, former president barack obama urged americans who want democracy to survive — to consider how to engage with others. pluralism is not about holding hands and singing combined hour. it is not about abandoning your convictions and

folding when things get tough, it is about recognising that in a democracy, power comes from forging alliances and billing coalitions and making room in those coalitions only for the work but also the waking. joining me is susan platt, former chief of staff for senatorjoe biden, candidate for virginia lt governor and author ofjust published memoir �*love, politics and other scary things�*. i love the title. welcome to the bbc. i want to ask you by the bbc. i want to ask you by the comments by barack obama, one of the first times we had in speaking since the election results stop he says the democrats are prioritised the work over the waking as he puts it. do you agree with the former president? thank you very much- _ former president? thank you very much- i _ former president? thank you very much. i have _ former president? thank you very much. i have great - former president? thank you i very much. i have great respect

for the former president but if you want to work together and try to do and come together for all of its people, you have to have both sides willing to do that. i'm not sure the republicans are. i can hear them talking about donald trump has a mandate. i don't think that under 50% of the popular voters would you call a mandate, it's called very divided countries. the only have the house of representatives with republican advancement of a couple numbers, that's not very many in the centre, same thing, you go for, is not a band—aid of what you would call a mandate. i know you have a country that's feeling somewhat unsettled, somewhat afraid of what's going to happen next. you got a president—elect who ran on retribution, against those who were against him and now you have to have the current president, joe biden talking about giving protective

pardons to protect people against retribution. i'm a democrat but i'm an american first. and in that regard, i want this country to be a place that it was founded on equal opportunity for all. but i worry that what it seems the only qualification someone needs to be put forward for incoming cabinet are billionaires, fox news presenters and those that have an agenda. presenters and those that have an agenda-— presenters and those that have an aenda. �* ,, ., ., an agenda. and susan, mandate niahts, it an agenda. and susan, mandate nights. it was — an agenda. and susan, mandate nights, it was a _ an agenda. and susan, mandate nights, it was a popular - an agenda. and susan, mandate nights, it was a popular vote - nights, it was a popular vote victory that he did with the majority of votes, the first honourable in president has done that in many, many years and a democrats are pretty much shot of government. didn't have anyone in a majority in the house over the centre, that the white house but we're looking at democrats now trying to get younger, we are seeing these conditional leaders, do you think that's important for the democrats to bring in this new generation? i democrats to bring in this new generation?— generation? i do, i think it's very good — generation? i do, i think it's very good thing. _ generation? i do, i think it's very good thing. obviously i generation? i do, ithink it's. very good thing. obviously we all need to take place to

changes, when fresh ideas, we need to be able to communicate those ideas in a clearfashion that every one of the table understands what we're talking about what we trying to do this country forward for all of us. i think generational change is needed, clearly and i think we will figure that out injanuary and get a new chairman and we do have to go back to the nuts and bolts and listen to what people have to say. when i was doing that, it is our to people and have to listen. you have to have good ideas we have to listen and be able to form those ideas around what people really are looking for.— really are looking for. going ahead, who's going - really are looking for. going ahead, who's going to - really are looking for. going ahead, who's going to be i ahead, who's going to be listened to democrats? who do you think the base that will be able to you th