Yoon Suk-yeol, the 20th President of the Republic of Korea. Provided by the Presidential Office

Yoon Suk-yeol, the 20th President of the Republic of Korea, issued a message from prison stating, “Let the nonsensical political persecution end with me alone,” and added, “Many soldiers and public officials who followed the legitimate orders of their superiors are being summoned to special prosecutors’ offices and courts, enduring hardship.” 

In a two-page statement distributed through his legal team on the 21st, former President Yoon stated, “Beyond the political persecution against me, even innocent people are suffering,” and declared, “I hope for an immediate halt to this unjust persecution that defames the honor of those who have dedicated their lives to the nation and its people, and damages their lives.” 

He emphasized, “I will do my best to reveal the truth about the state of emergency martial law in future criminal proceedings. I will prove how absurd the claim is that a president with supreme power incited rebellion to usurp power, and I will clearly reveal what the minimal troop deployment, which did not even engage in combat operations, signifies.” 

Furthermore, he stated, “Above all, I will definitively prove that the rebellion charges imposed on soldiers and public officials are entirely unfounded. I believe that history will ultimately judge whether my decision was correct and whether the declaration of martial law was the right course of action.” 

Former President Yoon remarked, “I am spending my days with truly distressing and regrettable feelings,” but clarified that it was not due to his personal hardships. He added, “It does not matter what happens to me, but as I witness the things I feared becoming a reality one by one, I am genuinely concerned for the future of our nation and its people.” 

He continued, “Despite this, I believe in the Republic of Korea and in all of you, the citizens. I firmly believe that the citizens, as the sovereign power, will protect the liberal democracy of the Republic of Korea. I will stand with the citizens until the very end.” 

The following is the full statement from former President Yoon. 

To the esteemed citizens of the Republic of Korea,

From the moment I left the prosecution, where I served my entire career, to enter politics and run for president, I knew I was stepping onto a path of thorns. Nevertheless, I could not stand by and watch the reality of the Republic of Korea and therefore did not refuse that path. 

The reason I declared martial law was my judgment that the liberal democracy and constitutional order of the Republic of Korea were in a grave crisis. I did my utmost to explain to you, the citizens, during the impeachment trial process why I had no choice but to decide on martial law. 

“Let the nonsensical political persecution end with me alone.”

Many soldiers and public officials who followed the legitimate orders of their superiors are being summoned to special prosecutors’ offices and courts, enduring hardship. Beyond the political persecution against me, even innocent people are suffering. I hope for an immediate halt to this unjust persecution that defames the honor of those who have dedicated their lives to the nation and its people, and damages their lives. 

I will do my best to reveal the truth about the state of emergency martial law in future criminal proceedings. I will prove how absurd the claim is that a president with supreme power incited rebellion to usurp power, and I will clearly reveal what the minimal troop deployment, which did not even engage in combat operations, signifies. Above all, I will definitively prove that the rebellion charges imposed on soldiers and public officials are entirely unfounded. 

I believe that history will ultimately judge whether my decision was correct and whether the declaration of martial law was the right course of action. 

I am spending my days with truly distressing and regrettable feelings. This is not due to my personal hardships. It does not matter what happens to me. However, as I witness the things I feared becoming a reality one by one, I am genuinely concerned for the future of our nation and its people. 

Despite this, I believe in the Republic of Korea and in all of you, the citizens. I firmly believe that the citizens, as the sovereign power, will protect the liberal democracy of the Republic of Korea. I will stand with the citizens until the very end. 

July 21, 2025

Yoon Suk-yeol

Screenshot of Yoon Suk-yeol, the 20th President of the Republic of Korea, from Facebook.