South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol has apologized for briefly imposing martial law in the country, promising never to do it again. In a two-minute public address on Saturday, his first since the crisis began earlier this week, Yoon expressed regret and took responsibility for the decision.
“This emergency martial law declaration came from my desperation as the one ultimately responsible for state affairs,” he said.
Yoon admitted that his decision caused “anxiety and inconvenience” to the people of South Korea. “I am deeply sorry and sincerely apologize to the citizens, who must have been greatly shocked,” he added.
To calm public fears, he assured everyone that martial law would not be declared again. “There will absolutely be no second attempt at a constitutional amendment,” he promised.
With parliament set to vote on his impeachment, Yoon pledged to accept any legal or political consequences. “I will entrust my party with ways to stabilize the political situation, including the remainder of my term. I apologize to the citizens for the concerns I have caused,” he concluded.
Initially, Yoon’s political party, the People Power Party (PPP), vowed to block impeachment attempts. However, the party’s leader, Han Dong-hoon, changed his stance on Friday after receiving “credible evidence” that Yoon had ordered the arrest of key politicians during the martial law period.
Han called for the president’s immediate suspension, saying his continued leadership posed a “grave danger” to the country. On Saturday, he reiterated that “early resignation is inevitable” as Yoon could no longer perform his duties effectively.
The situation escalated earlier in the week when Yoon unexpectedly declared martial law on live TV, claiming that opposition lawmakers were planning a “rebellion” with North Korea’s help. Despite military blockades, 190 lawmakers managed to gather at the National Assembly and unanimously voted to cancel the martial law. Thousands of South Koreans also took to the streets to protest against the president’s actions.
