Politics

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol issued an apology on Friday for his brief declaration of martial law made in December 2024. This came one day after a court in Seoul sentenced him to life in prison for allegedly leading an insurrection. In a statement from his lawyers, Yoon expressed regret for the "frustration and hardship" his martial law order caused the people, but he maintained that his actions were sincere and had a purpose. He claimed that the Seoul Central District Court's decision to sentence him was "predetermined" and accused the ruling of being a form of political retaliation. Yoon stated, “Those who try to label a decision made to protect the nation as an ‘insurrection’ and use it to attack their political opponents will only become more aggressive in the future.” He also raised doubts about the value of an appeal, saying that judicial independence cannot be assured, and encouraged his supporters to “unite and rise.” His lawyers clarified that his statement does not mean he intends to give up on appealing the verdict. Yoon's martial law declaration lasted only about six hours before parliament rejected it, but it caused widespread shock and led to protests across the country. The court found him guilty of undermining the constitutional order by sending troops to storm parliament and attempting to detain his opponents, marking a significant decline in his political career that ended with him in prison. Yoon, who was a former prosecutor, denied the allegations, asserting that he had the presidential power to declare martial law and that his intent was to alert the public about the obstruction posed by opposition parties.