S-Korean leader pledges to ‘fight till the end’

(MENAFN) South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has stood by his decision to impose martial law last week, pledging to "fight till the end" if he faces impeachment or investigation. In a televised address on Thursday, Yoon made it clear that he would not resign and would continue to stand firm in the face of political challenges, including a second vote on his impeachment in the National Assembly this weekend.

Yoon defended his martial law decision, which lasted less than six hours, as a necessary move to “protect the nation and normalize state affairs,” citing opposition efforts to disrupt the government. The martial law was swiftly reversed after MPs voted against it, and thousands of protesters took to the streets. Yoon is currently under investigation, with a travel ban imposed as police look into potential insurrection charges.

The president also accused opposition members of the Democratic Party (DP) of aligning with North Korea amid its nuclear and missile threats. Yoon claimed that his rivals were falsely attempting to create a narrative of treason to undermine him. Despite the controversy, he apologized to the public for the turmoil caused by the brief martial law and reiterated his loyalty to South Korea.

Ahead of Yoon's address, his party, the People Power Party (PPP), which had previously blocked impeachment efforts, acknowledged that their attempts to persuade Yoon to step down had failed. PPP leader Han Dong-hoon stated that impeachment was now the only way to defend democracy. A recent poll revealed that 74.8% of South Koreans believe Yoon should step down immediately, either by resigning or through impeachment.

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