Army Chief of Staff Kim Kyu-ha said on the 24th regarding the Dec. 3 martial law, "In the face of a great crisis for democracy in the Republic of Korea, I knew it was wrong yet remained silent," and "I sincerely apologize for causing great disappointment and deep hurt to the people."
Kim, who was the commander of the Missile and Strategy Command at the time of martial law, stated accordingly at the Army Headquarters audit by the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly held that day at Gyeryongdae, saying, "As a general, I failed to stand against an act of insurrection that endangered the Republic of Korea by mobilizing the military."
He added, "However, not everyone in the Army is an 'insurrectionist military,'" emphasizing, "Responsibility lies with a small number of senior military leaders and those who sided with them, and all other service members are the armed forces that protect the people."
Kim said, "It is self-evident that my seniors in the military, including myself, bear responsibility," and "We focused our training and education on wartime martial law, but education on peacetime emergency martial law was not properly carried out, which likely seemed puzzling to the public."
Finally, he said, "Within the scope of the authority and responsibility given to me, I will do my utmost to take lawful measures against those who abetted the illegal Dec. 3 martial law," adding, "While maintaining political neutrality, we will thoroughly record the facts of that time as the Army's official history so they can serve as lessons for future generations."