A TV screen shows a news report on South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol's declaration of martial law on December 3, which was reversed a few hours later, at a train station in Seoul, South Korea. /CFP

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has accepted the resignation of Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and nominated the ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Choi Byung-hyuk, as the new defense minister, the presidential office said on Thursday.

Kim is reported to have proposed the declaration of emergency martial law, which was imposed on Tuesday night but repealed early on Wednesday after the parliament voted against it, to Yoon.

The outgoing defense minister said on Wednesday that he offered his resignation in a bid to take all responsibility for the emergency martial law, and apologized for causing concern and confusion.

Yoon's office confirmed the nomination of Choi, who is a former army general, to head the Defense Ministry.

(With input from Xinhua)