Former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol is facing flak for sending an Easter message from prison that critics say likens his own situation to the suffering of Jesus Christ.
In a message sent via his lawyer Bae Ui Cheol on Sunday, Yoon urged the public to “hold onto the hope of salvation even if times are difficult”.
“Jesus’s resurrection showed that if we overcome times of suffering, this land will be fully restored with freedom and truth,” the jailed leader said. “Even if times are hard, I pray that this Easter Sunday will be a time to endure suffering, hold onto the hope of salvation, and be reborn as children of God.”
Mr Bae said he had met Yoon at the Seoul Detention Centre on Friday. He added that the former president’s supporters had asked for a message from him to “gain strength”.
Yoon, who is serving a life sentence after being removed from office over his brief declaration of martial law in December 2024, still retains a loyal supporter base in the country.
His critics said the tone of his Easter message portrayed Yoon as a martyr rather than as a wrongdoer.
“He’s drawing parallels between himself and Jesus. This sounds like nonsense. People of faith would never dare say such things,” said Kim In Kook, a leader of the pro-democracy group Catholic Priests’ Association for Justice.
An editorial in the conservative newspaper Dong-a Ilbo called Yoon “absolutely remorseless”.
“He has not admitted any wrongdoing even after the Constitutional Court unanimously upheld his impeachment a year ago and a lower court sentenced him to life imprisonment as the ringleader of an insurrection,” it said. “It appears former president Yoon is now caught up in a delusion, dreaming of a political resurrection by comparing his imprisonment to the suffering of Jesus on the cross.”
Yoon’s message also drew criticism from ruling Democratic Party lawmaker Park Ji Won. “Jesus’s resurrection showed that the land would be fully restored with freedom and truth if he overcame the hardships,” Mr Park said. “Even if it is hard and difficult, it will be revived only when he dies. Dying means repenting and reflecting, but did Yoon Suk Yeol repent and reflect? I am angry to see Yoon Seok Yeol selling God and Jesus.”
Yoon was sentenced to life imprisonment earlier this year after he was found guilty of rebellion and abuse of authority.
Prosecutors had demanded the death penalty for the former president for attempting to introduce martial law via military force, paralysing the legislature and arresting political opponents.
The ruling made Yoon the first former South Korean leader to receive the maximum custodial sentence. The martial law episode plunged the country into deep uncertainty and sparked huge street protests, though it ended after six hours when lawmakers regained control of the National Assembly.
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