A controversial pastor who was released from prison on Wednesday after he was exonerated from election violation and defamation charges resumed criticizing President Moon Jae-in.

At a press conference on Thursday, Jun Kwang-hoon of Seoul's Sarang Jeil Church, said the justification for his past actions has been recognized by the court.

Jun vowed to set March 1 as the deadline for the president to apologize for destroying the South Korea-U.S. alliance and becoming diplomatically isolated from the international community.

The pastor said if there is no apology, he plans to reenact the March 1 independence movement from the Japanese colonial era to demand it.

On Wednesday, the Seoul Central District Court acquitted Jun after he was indicted for allegedly urging participants at anti-government rallies to vote for the conservative main opposition party ahead of April's general elections.

The pastor was also tried on charges of defaming the president after he accused Moon of being a spy for North Korea and attempting to communize the country.