President Yoon Suk Yeol defended his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 in a televised address to the nation Thursday morning.
The 63-year-old conservative president is facing a threat of impeachment by the opposition-controlled National Assembly since his short-lived imposition of martial law.
Yoon denounced the opposition parties' abuse of power as unconstitutional, while claiming his use of executive power was within the constitutional framework.
"I thought I cannot just wait and see any longer," Yoon said. "The declaration of martial law came to my attention."
Yoon also said the following troop dispatch to the National Assembly for forcible entry was not meant to paralyze the National Assembly.
"If I really intended to paralyze the National Assembly, the martial law would have gone into effect on a weekend, not on a weekday. Also, I would have cut electricity, water to the National Assembly and broadcasting would have been restricted. But I did none of that."
He added that the fact he dispatched fewer than 300 troops to the National Assembly is another indication that the martial law declaration was not intended to bring the National Assembly under control.
Yoon claimed that his intention was to send a warning to the opposition parties and make citizens realize the parties' "anti-state" activities.
Yoon denounced the opposition parties for wielding its legislative power to block law changes that would allow the punishment of spying activities by foreign nationals, taking sides with North Korea and unilaterally moving to cut budget items he said were essential for the economic growth of the country.
Yoon also disclosed he had ordered then-Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to look into the vulnerability of the National Election Commission, in the wake of North Korea's hacking attacks in the second half of 2023.
However, Yoon said the election authorities refused to comply with the Yoon administration's request to inspect the internal system.
Yoon underscored he would face the threat of impeachment and investigations targeting himself, concerning the imposition of martial law on Dec. 3.
"No matter whether it is an impeachment or an investigation that's ahead of me, I will boldly face them," he said. "I've already said that I would not avert the legal and political responsibilities."
Yoon, however, added that the opposition parties are rushing to impeach him and at the same time instigating and manipulating the public because they fear that opposition leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung might be banned from public office.
Lee is undergoing several separate trials for offences that could result in sentences that would bar him from running for president.
The president's impeachment could allow Lee to run for president at an earlier date than the election currently scheduled on March 2027.
