SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday apologised for his attempt to impose martial law this week but did not resign, defying intense pressure to step down even from some in his ruling party and only hours ahead of a planned impeachment vote.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has apologized to the nation in his first public comments since his abortive attempt to impose martial law threw the country into political chaos and led to calls for his impeachment.

Lawmakers, heeding the call of opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, dashed to parliament to vote down Yoon's order. They had to scale fences and walls to get inside - and 190 of them made it, voting unanimously to block the martial law order.