Seoul: Ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday apologized to key military commanders who are standing trial for their involvement in his failed martial law bid, defending their actions as the result of compliance with his orders. Yoon made the remarks at a martial law trial against the commanders at the military court in central Seoul, which he attended as a witness. Defendants included Kwak Jong-keun, former chief of the Army Special Warfare Command; Yeo In-hyung, former head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command; and Lee Jin-woo, former head of the Capital Defense Command.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Yoon expressed regret over the presence of senior military and police officials in court, acknowledging their actions were based on his directives. He conveyed his sorrow for their situation, mentioning he spent nights in prayer after attending the trials. During the trial, Yoon emphasized he never intended for martial law to be a prolonged measure; instead, it was meant to highlight the "blatant" behavior of the then main opposition party. He clarified that the martial law declaration aimed to alert the public to the country's precarious state and was not expected to last beyond a day.

Yoon stated that, apart from former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, no other officials were instructed to prepare for the martial law imposition. He argued that the opposition party's initiative to impeach the state auditor chief was the "decisive trigger" for his decision to order the martial law preparations.

In response to a recent reshuffle within the Defense Counterintelligence Command, Yoon remarked that institutions vital to national security should remain functional despite their involvement in the martial law bid. His appearance at the military court, within the defense ministry compound that also houses the presidential office, marked the first time in about a year he visited his former office compound. This also coincided with his 65th birthday.