[Reporter’s Notebook] What Was Missing from Yoon’s 67-Minute Final Statement

Denial of Key Issues, Focused Criticism of the Opposition
Lack of Responsibility and Acceptance Messages

On the evening of the 25th, President Yoon Seok-yeol, wearing a red necktie and standing at the podium of the Constitutional Court's Grand Bench, delivered a final statement that resembled a public address. It is said that President Yoon personally wrote the 77-page A4 manuscript. During the 67 minutes of reading the manuscript, his voice occasionally cracked but he maintained composure throughout the final statement.

President Yoon's final statement can be summarized as a defense regarding the unconstitutionality and illegality of the emergency martial law declaration, Martial Law Proclamation No. 1, obstruction of parliamentary activities, arrests of politicians, deployment of Central Election Commission forces?key issues in the impeachment trial?and highlighting the responsibility of the "major opposition party." Although the word "people" appeared most frequently, "opposition party" was mentioned 48 times, "spy" 25 times, and "North Korea" 15 times. These words were used to attack the opposition party, which can be considered President Yoon's adversary.

President Yoon expressed, "I sincerely apologize for causing confusion and inconvenience to the people," but emphasized that "it was a two-hour martial law for the nation and the people," and stated, "The situation in which martial law was declared was a national emergency caused by the major opposition party's relentless impeachment, legislative rampage, and budget tyranny that paralyzed the government." He also said, "It is not a presidential tyranny but the tyranny of the major opposition party that is bringing the Republic of Korea to the brink of collapse."

What President Yoon seemed to want to emphasize even more was related to "constitutional amendment." He mentioned the word "constitutional amendment" six times, linking it to his "return plan." President Yoon said, "If I return to duty according to the Constitutional Court's judgment, I will focus the latter half of my term on pursuing constitutional amendment and political reform," adding, "I will not be bound by the remaining term and will dedicate myself to constitutional amendment and political reform as my final mission, doing my best to improve the '87 system."

On December 3rd last year, breaking the silence of the night and plunging the entire nation into the turmoil of "martial law," was none other than President Yoon. Although 84 days have passed since then, it would not be an exaggeration to say that this country has not had a single peaceful day. Leadership has been virtually absent, and national credibility and the economy are in a precarious state. There was even an incident where "rioters" stormed the courts. Yet, even in this final statement, which might have been the last chance before the entire people of the Republic of Korea, there was no sense of presidential responsibility.

What is even more regrettable is that nowhere in the final statement can the phrase "acceptance of the Constitutional Court's decision" be found. Where has the president who swore to "abide by the Constitution" and "protect the nation" 2 years and 9 months ago gone?

President Yoon Suk-yeol is delivering his final statement at the 11th impeachment trial hearing held at the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 25th. 2025.2.25. Photo by Constitutional Court