Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho said Tuesday that he "will make every effort to ensure the stable management of the situation on the Korean Peninsula" in his first public remarks since President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Dec. 3 martial law declaration.

"I will carry out my duties with the utmost vigilance and without any lapse until my final day in office at this critical juncture, where inter-Korean relations are grave and uncertainties in the external environment are mounting," Kim, responsible for managing inter-Korean relations, said.

Kim said he would continue to "work closely with related ministries to prevent any sense of unease among the public."

Kim also issued a public apology for the domestic political turmoil that has transpired since Yoon’s martial law declaration.

"I feel a heavy sense of responsibility for the current situation facing the Republic of Korea as the Unification Minister and a member of the State Council," he said, referring to South Korea by its official name. "I express my deep regret to the people with a heavy heart."