South Korea's president shocked the nation when he declared martial law last week.

Yun-sook-yol later apologized for it, but today he struck a different tone.

And so when he gave this defiant speech this morning, it was kind of yet another shock.

I'm Carol Hills. More on the political crisis

in South Korea. And New Hope for Syria, where people hope to see Western sanctions lifted as soon as

possible. Some sanctions will need to be lifted because justification for their imposition to begin

with is now completely gone. Assad is gone, but the Syrian economy is still devastated.

Then in Japan, the intangible cultural heritage behind making sake.

This water is taking more than 100 years to come down to our water well.

That's all ahead. today on the world.

This is the world. I'm Carol Hills. Thanks for joining us today.

In South Korea, the country's embattled president, Yun Suk Yol, says he will fight to the end.

In a televised speech today, President Yun defended his decision last week to declare martial law.

He said he's trying to save the country from anti-state opposition parties.

This was a reversal for Yun because his last public statement amounted to an apology for his recent actions.

Right now, the president is facing calls from the public, from opposition lawmakers, and even members of his own party to resign.

Kelly Kassoulis Cho is a reporter with the Washington Post and she's based in Seoul.

Kelly, how did President Yun's message today seem to go over with the public?

You know, not very well. I mean, the South Korean public in general, speaking broad strokes here, is very outraged.

There's been tens of thousands, if not more, people protesting in the street almost every day. And it's a bit of a break in the messaging this morning from what we previously understood. The head of the People Power Party,

which is the ruling party and the party that President Yunn belongs to, had earlier said that he

was expected to resign. And so when he gave this defiant speech this morning,

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