South Korean President Vows to ‘Fight Till the End’ Amidst Crisis

South Korean President pledges to stand firm and fight against growing challenges, declaring his determination to lead the nation through the current political and security crisis.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has justified his recent attempt to impose martial law in the country, pledging to “stand firm” if faced with impeachment or investigation.

In a surprise televised address on Thursday, Yoon unequivocally stated that he has no plans to resign before the National Assembly holds a second impeachment vote this weekend.

He declared, “I will remain steadfast whether I face impeachment or investigation. I am prepared to fight until the end.”

The president stated that his choice to declare martial law last Tuesday was guided by a “highly calibrated political judgment.”

Yoon emphasized that his decision was driven by the need “to safeguard the nation and restore normalcy to government operations,” in response to attempts by the opposition to disrupt governmental functions.

The decision to impose martial law was overturned in under six hours when MPs voted against it, amid massive street protests. Meanwhile, Yoon has been prohibited from leaving the country as police investigate potential insurrection charges.

The president once more accused his political opponents from the primary opposition party, the Democratic Party (DP), of “aligning” themselves with North Korea in light of Pyongyang’s nuclear program development and missile threats.

“I’m unsure about the country to which the party belongs and the country associated with the National Assembly,” Yoon stated.

He claimed that the opposition is “fabricating false provocations by accusing the president of treason in an attempt to undermine him.”

The president also expressed regret to the South Korean people who “might have been surprised and anxious due to the brief imposition of martial law” and reaffirmed his “steadfast commitment” to them.

Just before Yoon’s address, his People Power Party (PPP), which had previously dismissed calls for his impeachment and blocked the initial vote on the matter through a boycott, announced that its efforts to convince him to resign voluntarily have been unsuccessful.

“We sought alternatives to impeachment, but those options are not viable,” said PPP leader Han Dong-hoon. “For now, suspending the president from duties through impeachment is the only way to uphold democracy and protect the republic.”

According to a study released by the Realmeter pollster on Wednesday, 74.8% of South Koreans think Yoon should promptly step down from office, whether through resignation or impeachment.