South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has apologized to the nation in his first public comments since his abortive attempt to impose martial law threw the country into political chaos and led to calls for his impeachment. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis emergency martial law declaration stemmed from my desperation as the ultimate responsible party for state affairs,\u201d Yoon said in a two-minute address. <\/p>\n
\u201cI am deeply sorry and sincerely apologize to the citizens who must have been greatly shocked,\u201d Yoon said, adding he \u201ccaused anxiety and inconvenience\u201d to South Korean citizens. <\/p>\n
Yoon, who is expected to face an impeachment vote in parliament this weekend, said he \u201cwill not avoid the legal and political responsibility related to this martial law declaration.\u201d <\/p>\n
Yoon declared martial law in an unannounced television address late Tuesday night, accusing the main opposition party of sympathizing with North Korea and of \u201canti-state activities.\u201d He cited a motion by the Democratic Party, which has a majority in parliament, to impeach top prosecutors and reject a government budget proposal. <\/p>\n
Yet within just six hours, the leader was forced to back down, after lawmakers forced their way past soldiers into parliament to unanimously strike down the decree. <\/p>\n
Addressing rumors that martial law will be invoked again, Yoon said \u201cthere will absolutely be no second attempt at a constitutional amendment.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cI will entrust my party with methods to stabilize the political situation, including the remainder of my term\u2026 I apologize to the citizens for the concerns I have caused,\u201d Yoon concluded as he stepped off the podium and bowed. <\/p>\n
The declaration of a military emergency, although short-lived, was met with shock and anger across the country, which remains deeply scarred by the brutality of martial law imposed during decades of military dictatorship before it won a long, bloody fight for democracy in the 1980s. <\/p>\n
Pressure on Yoon has mounted in the days since, with protesters and opposition figures demanding his impeachment \u2013 and support wavering even within his own party and military. <\/p>\n
The leader of South Korea\u2019s ruling party said after Yoon\u2019s address that the president\u2019s resignation is now inevitable. <\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters, Han Dong-hoon, chief of Yoon\u2019s own People Power Party, said it was \u201cimpossible for the president to carry on his normal duties,\u201d adding that his \u201cearly resignation is inevitable.\u201d <\/p>\n
On Friday, Han said Yoon needs to be immediately suspended from duty to protect the country from \u201cgrave danger,\u201d in a dramatic reversal of opinion that compounds the pressure building on the president ahead of an impeachment vote in parliament. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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