President Yoon Suk Yeol has apologized to the South Korean people for causing public anxiety by declaring martial law late Tuesday night.

In a televised address to the nation on Saturday, his first public appearance since he lifted martial law early Wednesday, Yoon said the declaration stemmed from a sense of urgency amid political deadlock in the handling of state affairs.

Pledging that he will not avoid legal or political accountability for declaring martial law, the president clearly stated that there will not be another martial law decree.

Yoon said he intends to entrust the ruling People Power Party with decisions on how to stabilize state affairs, including the fate of the remainder of his five-year presidency.

The president said he expects the party and the government to take responsibility in future governance.