President Yoon Suk Yeol in a brief televised address in Seoul on December 7, 2024 (Photo: Xinhua/ VNA)

On a televised speech on Saturday, the South Korean President said he won’t shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promised not to make another attempt to impose it. He said he and the People’s Power Party are working to stabilize the political situation and that "the declaration of this martial law was made out of his  desperation."

President Yoon Suk Yeol’s apology comes as the opposition Democratic Party (DP), which holds a majority in Parliament, plans to vote this afternoon on a bill to impeach him. If the motion garners 200 out of 300 votes in favor, President Yoon Suk Yeol will be immediately suspended from his duties.