The special prosecutor team led by Jo Eun-seok, investigating the internal and external turmoil related to the 'Dec. 3 emergency martial law,' summoned Minister Kim Young-ho on the 20th. The special prosecutor team questioned Minister Kim as a witness that morning.
Minister Kim did not answer reporters' questions about the 'circumstances of attending the Cabinet meeting just before the emergency martial law' and 'what parts he wanted to clarify' as he arrived at the Seoul High Prosecutor's Office, where the special prosecutor team is located, around 9:46 a.m.
The special prosecutor is expected to confirm the situation at that time by questioning Minister Kim. Minister Kim is one of the five Cabinet members who were first called by former President Yoon Suk-yeol to inform them of his plans before declaring martial law.
According to Minister Kim's testimony received by the special investigation headquarters on emergency martial law in December last year, he received a call from former President Yoon around 8:06 p.m. on the day of the martial law, urging him to 'come to Yongsan as soon as possible,' and then entered the presidential office.
After hearing from then-Prime Minister Han Duck-soo that 'the President seems to be about to declare martial law,' Minister Kim stated, 'If martial law is declared, serious problems will inevitably arise in the economy, diplomacy, and security. I oppose martial law.'
Later, together with former Prime Minister Han and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Jo Tae-yul, he met with former President Yoon and tried to dissuade him, saying, 'The U.S.-Korea relationship will be completely ruined,' but former President Yoon insisted, stating, 'The reality of governance differs from what the president sees and what the ministers see,' and proceeded.
It was also reported that former Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae, former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, and former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun remained silent without expressing their opposition to the declaration of martial law.
Minister Kim explained that he was unable to attend the Cabinet meeting held early on December 4th to lift the emergency martial law because he fell asleep and did not read the Telegram message from former Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination Bang Gi-seon asking him to come to the Yongsan Cabinet room.
Earlier, the special prosecutor team also summoned former Minister of Foreign Affairs Jo Tae-yul as a witness to reconstruct the situation of the Cabinet meeting.
Meanwhile, the internal turmoil special prosecutor team postponed the re-summoning of Kim Yong-dae, the commander of the drone operations, which was scheduled for 10 a.m. The special prosecutor team investigating the infiltration operations of North Korean drones involving Commander Kim, who is a suspect in general espionage, plans to make decisions on how to handle his case, including filing for an arrest warrant, after questioning him again.