 ▲ 52일 만에 석방된 윤석열 대통령이 2025년 4월 8일 오후 서울 용산구 한남동 관저 입구에서 지지자·시민들과 인사하고 있다. © 뉴시스 |
윤석열 전 대통령이 지난 2024년 12·3 비상계엄 관련 일본 언론 인터뷰에서 "자유민주주의 헌정 질서 붕괴·국가 위기 상황서 내린 국가 비상사태 선언이며 국민에 그런 상황을 알리기 위한 것"이라고 밝혔다.
현재 수감 중인 윤 전 대통령은 3일 보도된 일본 '요미우리 신문' 서면 인터뷰에서 "국민을 억압하는 과거 계엄과는 다르다"며 "몇 시간 만에 국회 해제 요구를 받아들였고, 국회 무력화 의도는 없었다"고 밝혔다. 해당 인터뷰는 앞서 지난 11월 윤 전 대통령 변호인을 통해 진행된 것이다.
그러면서 재임 중 힘쓴 한·일 관계 개선에 대해 "한·일 관계 발전은 양국은 물론 인도·태평양 지역 자유·평화·번영을 위해 매우 중요하다"며 "(한·미·일 3국 협력 확대 추진은) 큰 의미·가치를 느낀다"고 밝혔다.
'요미우리'는 "윤 전 대통령이 계엄 선포를 재 정당화했다"며 "한국 여론은 윤 전 대통령에 냉담한 편"이라고 전했다.
한편 일본 '마이니치 신문'은 "계엄령 직후 윤 전 대통령 탄핵 등을 둘러싸고 한국 여론 분단·대립이 첨예화됐다"며 "이재명 정부는 사회 통합을 내세우고 있으나 계엄령 뒤처리 관련해 한국 여야가 사회 분단 확산 원심력에 저항 않고 있다"고 전했다.
영문 기사의 [전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.
Former President Yoon Seok-yeol: "The December 3 martial law declaration was intended to inform the public of the national emergency."
A written interview with Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper stated, "It's different from the martial law of the past that oppressed the people. We accepted the National Assembly's request to lift the martial law within a few hours, and there was no intention to neutralize the National Assembly." The interview was conducted through former President Yoon's lawyer in November.
-kihong Kim reporter
Former President Yoon Seok-yeol stated in a Japanese media interview regarding the December 3, 2024 martial law declaration, "It was a declaration of a national emergency in the midst of a national crisis and the collapse of the constitutional order of liberal democracy. It was intended to inform the public of that situation."
Former President Yoon, currently imprisoned, stated in a written interview with Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper on the 3rd, "This is different from the martial law of the past that oppressed the people," adding, "I accepted the National Assembly's request to lift the martial law within a few hours, and I had no intention of neutralizing the National Assembly." The interview was conducted in November through former President Yoon's lawyer.
He also expressed his commitment to improving Korea-Japan relations during his presidency, stating, "The development of Korea-Japan relations is crucial not only for our two countries but also for freedom, peace, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. I find the expansion of trilateral cooperation (among Korea, the US, and Japan) to be of great significance and value."
Yomiuri Shimbun reported, "Former President Yoon has re-justified the declaration of martial law," and that "Korean public opinion is relatively indifferent to former President Yoon."
Meanwhile, Japan's Mainichi Shimbun reported, "Immediately after martial law, public opinion in Korea became divided and confrontational surrounding the impeachment of former President Yoon," and "The Lee Jae-myung administration is promoting social integration, but the ruling and opposition parties in Korea are not resisting the centrifugal force that is spreading social division in the aftermath of martial law."
