Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol apologised on Friday for his short-lived declaration of martial law in December 2024, a day after a Seoul court sentenced him to life in prison for masterminding an insurrection.
In a statement released by his lawyers, Yoon said that while he was sorry for the “frustration and hardship” brought upon the people by his martial law decree, he stood behind the “sincerity and purpose” behind his actions. The Seoul Central District Court’s decision to hand him a life sentence on Thursday was “predetermined,” he said, adding that the verdict against him was political retaliation.