President Yoon Suk-yeol said, "Hong Jang-won, former first deputy of the National Intelligence Service, lost much of the National Intelligence Service director Cho Tae-yong's trust regarding the issue of political neutrality a few months before the martial law." He also said, "There are rumors that Hong Jang-won is close to the president and has drunk a lot with him, and that he is also close to the president's wife, which is something that can't happen due to the hierarchy of public office."
On the 13th, the Constitutional Court held the 8th hearing on the impeachment trial of President Yoon. From 10 a.m. for about 2 hours and 20 minutes, witness questioning of National Intelligence Service director Cho Tae-yong was held. Director Cho is a witness requested by President Yoon. After the witness questioning ended, President Yoon obtained the floor and spoke for about 17 minutes in a somewhat agitated tone.
President Yoon said, "On the night of December 4th, the National Intelligence Service director called and asked if Hong Jang-won had ever called the president on a secure line. I answered, 'Why would Hong Jang-won call me?' and when I checked the secure line, I found out there had been a call around 4 p.m." He mentioned that he received a call but couldn't answer it.
He continued, "I can't say everything about the request for the dismissal of the National Intelligence Service executive in open court, but the clear fact is that it was evident that Hong Jang-won had already lost much of the director's trust regarding political neutrality a few months ago."
President Yoon said, "I asked the National Intelligence Service director, 'If the first deputy has lost the director's trust, where is more important information? Why didn't you report it?' and the director responded that it was late because he had been observing and spoke about various things." He added, "I said, 'Since you are the one the director uses, if you can't trust him like that, take personnel action. Please think about who would be good as a successor and let me know.'"
Regarding the call made to Director Cho around 8 p.m. on the day of the martial law, President Yoon stated it was to confirm whether Director Cho was on a business trip to the U.S. or in Korea. He said, "I asked Director Cho, 'Are you still there (in the U.S.)?' and he replied, 'Yes, I'm still here (in Korea),' so I realized he was still in the U.S. and told him, 'Finish your work well,' and then hung up." He noted, "Around 8:30 p.m., when the secretary-general brought Director Cho in, I was startled."
Regarding the Cabinet meeting held before the proclamation of martial law, President Yoon said, "Concerning martial law, the Minister of National Defense, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of the Interior, and Minister of Justice were told that since there was some (external) event, they should not go home but come right away, which is why they arrived early. If they didn't want to hold a formal Cabinet meeting, why would the national security director, the presidential secretary, and the National Intelligence Service director come?" He added, "It is because I was clearly aware that a Cabinet meeting was necessary."
President Yoon denied any close relationship with former deputy Hong and himself, as well as his wife Kim Keon-hee. He stated, "I have only had dinner with Hong Jang-won once while having a drink," and added, "There are rumors that Hong Jang-won is close to the president and has drunk a lot with him, and that he is also close to the president's wife, which is something that can't happen due to the hierarchy of public office."