Former President Yoon Suk Yeol said Sunday that as long as young people do not lose hope, the future will be bright, pledging to stand by his supporters even though he is no longer in office.

Yoon, who has yet to officially say he accepts the Constitutional Court’s decision to remove him from office, issued the message to a group of his supporters. 

In the message, released by his legal team, Yoon said young people are the true driving force for the country and its future, urging them to never despair and to have confidence and courage even if reality is tough. 

Expressing gratitude for their support, Yoon said that faced with a grave national crisis, they have made a historic journey to defend freedom and sovereign rights.

It was Yoon’s second statement since Friday, when the court upheld a parliamentary motion to impeach him over the December 3 martial law situation.