South Korea's main opposition party said on Sunday it would try again to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol after his declaration of martial law.

Meanwhile, police arrested the defence minister in charge of the martial law operation, and the interior minister resigned. Both they and Yoon are being investigated for alleged insurrection.

Yoon averted impeachment late on Saturday as huge crowds braved freezing temperatures in another night of protests outside parliament to demand the president's ouster.

Opposition parties proposed the impeachment motion, which needed 200 votes in the 300-member parliament to pass, but a near-total boycott by Yoon's People Power Party doomed it to failure.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, said on Sunday that they will try again on December 14.

"Yoon, the principal culprit behind the insurrection and military coup that destroyed South Korea's constitutional order, must either resign immediately or be impeached without delay," Lee told reporters.

"On December 14, our Democratic Party will impeach Yoon in the name of the people." (AFP)