President Yoon Suk Yeol. [Yonhap News] 

President Yoon Suk Yeol urged, “I ask our great people to restore justice once again under the banner of liberal democracy.” 

In a statement released from the Seoul Detention Center on the 20th, President Yoon declared, “I, Yoon Suk Yeol, will take a moment to catch my breath in this trial of the public square and shoulder all the responsibility.” He expressed his hope, stating, “Our fight is not over. We must unite and rise up,” and added, “I pray that you will rebuild the Republic of Korea through a march of hope, not defeat.” 

Previously, President Yoon emphasized that “the judgment and decision I made to declare emergency martial law on December 3rd were solely for the sake of the nation and its people,” asserting that his sincerity and intent remain unchanged. 

He continued, “However, forces that seek to smear this act of national salvation as an insurrection and use it as an opportunity for political purges and the elimination of their opponents will continue to gain momentum.” He did not hide his regret, stating, “It was a decision made to save the nation, but due to my shortcomings, it ultimately caused you much frustration and hardship.” 

However, after pointing out the unreasonable nature of the judicial process by noting that “the judiciary failed to fully reject the political power driven by falsehood and agitation,” he added, “It is at least fortunate that they did not accept the special counsel’s fiction and delusion that I declared martial law because I failed to create conditions for long-term power.” He then hit back, stating, “However, while they recognized my sincerity, it is difficult to accept the logic that it was an insurrection simply because the military went to the National Assembly.” 

He went on to express a sense of loss, saying, “I feel deep skepticism about what meaning there is in legal disputes through appeals when the independence of the judiciary cannot be guaranteed and one cannot expect a verdict based on law and conscience.” He then added, “I look forward to a re-evaluation of my judgment and decision on the day that liberal democracy and the rule of law stand firmly in the Republic of Korea.” 

President Yoon stated, “While I am no longer concerned about the judiciary’s predetermined conclusion or the persecution of political powers against me, it is truly heartbreaking to see the reality that many soldiers, police officers, and public officials are suffering through investigations and trials, and that their families are also devastated by this pain,” adding, “The responsibility for the process of this decision rests solely with me.” 

He also strongly urged, “Please, I hope you will stop the harsh trials and persecution against them. Political retaliation against me is enough.” He added, “How many more people are you planning to purge through investigations, special counsel, and even a second special counsel, and how much further will you tear down national security? I hope you will stop undermining democracy and look toward the lives of the people.” 

Below is the full text of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s statement. 

My fellow citizens,

The judgment and decision I made to declare emergency martial law on December 3rd were solely for the sake of the nation and its people. My sincerity and purpose in doing so remain unchanged.

However, those forces that seek to smear this act of national salvation as an insurrection and use it as an opportunity for political purges and the elimination of their opponents will continue to gain momentum. Though it was a decision made to save the nation, I deeply apologize to the people for the frustration and hardship caused by my shortcomings.

The judiciary failed to fully reject the political power driven by falsehood and agitation. It is at least fortunate that they did not accept the special counsel’s fiction and delusion that I declared martial law because I failed to create conditions for long-term power. However, while they recognized my sincerity, it is difficult to accept the logic that it was an insurrection simply because the military went to the National Assembly.

I feel deep skepticism about what meaning there is in legal disputes through appeals when the independence of the judiciary cannot be guaranteed and one cannot expect a verdict based on law and conscience. I look forward to a re-evaluation of my judgment and decision on the day that liberal democracy and the rule of law stand firmly in the Republic of Korea.

I am no longer concerned about the judiciary’s predetermined conclusion or the persecution of political powers against me. However, it is truly heartbreaking to see the reality that many soldiers, police officers, and public officials are suffering through investigations and trials, and that their families are also devastated by this pain. The responsibility for the process of this decision rests solely with me.

Please, I hope you will stop the harsh trials and persecution against them. Political retaliation against me is enough. How many more people are you planning to purge through investigations, special counsel, and even a second special counsel, and how much further will you tear down national security?

I hope you will stop undermining democracy and look toward the lives of the people.

I, Yoon Suk Yeol, will take a moment to catch my breath in this trial of the public square and shoulder all the responsibility. However, I believe that our great citizens will restore justice once again under the banner of liberal democracy.

Our fight is not over. We must unite and rise up.

I pray that you will rebuild the Republic of Korea through a march of hope, not defeat.

February 20, 2026

Sincerely, Yoon Suk Yeol