Speaking at a press conference at the National Assembly, Kim said he "sincerely apologizes" for the debacle, calling it "inappropriate."
"Even if the Constitution grants a president the authority to declare martial law, it is inappropriate except in cases of a national crisis or emergencies beyond the control of police authorities," Kim told reporters.
Kim, who unexpectedly emerged as the conservative candidate mainly because of his initial support for Yoon, added that if he had known about Yoon's Dec. 3 overnight gambit in advance, he would have tried to stop it.
Expressing concerns over the economic fallout from the debacle, he also sought to console citizens, saying, "Many small business owners have been hit hard by declining sales."
With the snap June 3 presidential election less than a month away, Kim's apology came in an apparent move to rally support from voters, as front-runner Lee Jae-myung of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) maintains a big lead in most polls.
When asked whether Yoon should leave the party, Kim said it would be a decision for the impeached president to make. However, calls for his departure are likely to grow among PPP lawmakers if Kim he continues to struggle to close the gap with Lee in voter support.
reporter
Im Yoon-seo
lyseo0330@ajupress.com
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