President Yoon Suk Yeol, after his release, greets supporters at the entrance of his official residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul, Saturday. Newsis

President Yoon Suk Yeol has been released and returned to his official residence in Hannam-dong, 52 days after the execution of his arrest warrant on Jan. 15 in connection with the martial law order he gave on Dec. 3 last year.

"After arriving at the residence, the president warmly embraced his dogs as they wagged their tails in excitement," a presidential office official said Saturday, adding that Yoon ate "kimchi jjigae" (a type of stew) with first lady Kim Keon Hee, Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk, presidential secretary Kang Ui-goo, and Presidential Security Service (PSS) acting chief Kim Sung-hoon.

Yoon reportedly said he was in better health, stating, "Getting more sleep made me healthier." Reflecting on his time in detention, he said, "Even a president can learn a lot from being in a detention center." He also shared that he spent time diligently reading the Bible.

"I thought about my acquaintances who had been imprisoned in the past and wondered how they had endured their time," Yoon said. "I also saw how correctional officers work hard under difficult conditions."

The president urged his staff to remain steadfast, saying, "For the sake of the nation and the people, I hope the presidential office continues to steer the administration with unwavering focus."

Yoon left the detention center at 5:48 p.m. Friday. He was greeted by Chung, Senior Civil Affairs Secretary Kim Joo-hyun and PSS' Kim. After exchanging greetings for about three minutes with supporters gathered outside, he departed for his residence at 5:50 p.m.

Upon arriving at 6:15 p.m., Yoon rolled down his car window to wave at supporters cheering near the residence's entrance. He then stepped out of the vehicle, shook hands with supporters for about five minutes and got back in the car before heading inside.

Yoon also bowed at a 90-degree angle to greet his supporters both at the detention center and his residence. "I appreciate the courage and determination of the Seoul Central District Court for correcting the illegalities," he said in a statement released through his legal team.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.