Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol issued an apology on Friday following his life imprisonment sentence for his brief martial law declaration last December, which a Seoul court ruled constituted insurrection.
Through a statement from his legal team, Yoon expressed regret for the “frustration and hardship” his martial law order caused citizens, though he defended the “sincerity and purpose” of his decisions.
The former president criticized Thursday’s life sentence from the Seoul Central District Court as “predetermined” and claimed the ruling represented political revenge against him.
“Forces that seek to smear a decision made to save the nation as an ‘insurrection’ and to use it beyond political attacks as an opportunity to purge and eliminate their opponents will only grow more rampant going forward,” Yoon stated.
He expressed doubt about whether filing an appeal would be worthwhile in what he characterized as a system lacking judicial independence, while encouraging his supporters to “unite and rise.”
However, his legal representatives clarified that the statement did not indicate he would abandon his right to appeal the verdict.
Yoon’s martial law order remained in effect for approximately six hours before lawmakers rejected it, triggering nationwide demonstrations and political upheaval throughout South Korea.
The court determined Yoon violated constitutional principles by sending military forces to occupy the parliament building and attempting to arrest political rivals, marking a stunning downfall that resulted in his removal from office and imprisonment.
The former career prosecutor maintained his innocence, contending he possessed constitutional power to impose martial law and that his actions were intended to highlight opposition parties’ interference with governmental operations.
Prosecutors had requested capital punishment for Yoon, although South Korea has not executed anyone since 1997.
On Thursday, a prosecutor indicated the prosecution team felt some “regret” about the sentence but would not confirm plans for an appeal.
