South Korea’s chairman of the National Assembly, citing the threat from North Korea, said the country is in a “state of national emergency” and urged that the legislature end the impasse that has prevented the passage of its anti-terrorism bill.

The opposition Minjoo Party’s filibuster against the government’s proposed anti-terrorism bill has been ongoing since Tuesday evening. Chairman Jeong Eui-hwa met chief of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) Lee Byeong-ho on Monday to be briefed about the potential risk of terrorism.

“It would be a very serious sin (by the opposition) if terrorism were to occur while the National Assembly