![Former President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a sentencing hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on Feb. 19 over charges of leading an insurrection tied to the Dec. 3 martial law declaration. [Photo=Seoul Central District Court]](https://image.ajunews.com/content/image/2026/02/20/20260220154207733748.png)
His remarks came just a day after the Seoul Central District Court handed down a life sentence on charges of insurrection and abuse of power over his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law.
Despite the apology, Yoon insisted that deploying troops to the National Assembly did not amount to insurrection. "It is hard to accept the argument that simply sending military personnel to the National Assembly constitutes insurrection," Yoon said, denouncing the investigation and trial as a "politically motivated attempt to remove opponents and rival factions."
He expressed skepticism about appealing, casting doubt on the judiciary's independence. Nonetheless, he hoped the ruling would be reassessed, saying he could be cleared "on the day liberal democracy and the rule of law stand upright."
Yoon also criticized additional probes by prosecutors, urging politicians not to undermine democracy and to focus on people's lives. In a final message to his supporters, he said, "Our fight is not over. We must unite and rise."
Yoon did not appear to forgo an appeal, however, as his lawyers clarified that Friday's statement merely reflected his personal feelings and was not intended to drop the case.
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