Interior minister says some Cabinet members 'opposed' martial law decree in closed-door meeting

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Interior minister says some Cabinet members 'opposed' martial law decree in closed-door meeting

Published: 05 Dec. 2024, 17:18 Updated: 05 Dec. 2024, 18:22

SARAH KIM
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min speaks on the circumstances surrounding the declaration of martial law at a parliamentary public administration and security committee at the National Assembly in western Seoul Thursday. [YONHAP]

Cabinet members and military officials denied association with President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived emergency martial law declaration Tuesday as they were grilled by the parliament Thursday on their roles and knowledge of the situation.

When grilled by lawmakers at a parliamentary hearing Thursday on what went about in a Cabinet meeting ahead of Yoon's declaration of martial law, Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min said, "I remember there were several people who used the word 'oppose.'"

He had been asked by a liberal Democratic Party (DP) lawmaker at the National Assembly in western Seoul "how many ministers expressed opposition during the discussion of martial law" in the Cabinet meeting that took place Tuesday night right before Yoon declared the first martial law in Korea in 45 years through a televised public address.

The parliamentary public administration and security committee received a report earlier Thursday on the emergency martial law situation from Lee, Korean National Police Agency Commissioner Cho Ji-ho and Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Kim Bong-sik.

When asked what opinions he expressed over the declaration of martial law, Lee initially said, "It is difficult to say what opinions I expressed," adding, "individual ministers expressed various opinions."

However, when pressed further, Lee replied, "I also expressed my concerns."

Lee was also asked whether anyone expressed concerns, aside from former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who suggested enacting martial law.

In turn, Lee suggested that even the defense minister had his worries, adding, "Though he is the one to make the suggestion, he could have had various concerns."

Lee said "the president then stated his position" and "said that the situational awareness and sense of responsibility felt by each member of the Cabinet are different from the sense of responsibility felt by the president, who is the commander in chief of the country."

According to Lee, the Cabinet meeting to declare martial law on Tuesday was held around 10 p.m., and 11 members attended.

The meeting lasted about 20 minutes, he said, and the impact of the declaration of martial law on the economy was discussed.

Ahead of the convening of Tuesday's Cabinet meeting Lee, usually based at the Sejong government complex, was told around lunchtime that he might have an appointment with the president, so he arrived in Seoul earlier than originally planned.

"I arrived in Seoul around 8 p.m., and while I was en route, I received a call asking me to come into the presidential office," Lee said.

The DP has been pushing to impeach Lee, considered one of Yoon's closest aides in the Cabinet alongside Defense Minister Kim, who resigned Wednesday to take responsibility for the martial law declaration. Both Lee and Kim attended the same high school as Yoon.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su, left, who was named martial law commander Tuesday night, is questioned by lawmakers at a parliamentary hearing of the defense committee Thursday at the National Assembly in western Seoul. [NEWS1]

People Power Party (PPP) and DP lawmakers also clashed over whether declaring martial law was "treason" in the parliamentary public administration committee meeting.

The DP accused Yoon of committing treason by ordering troops to break into the National Assembly after invoking martial law late Tuesday. Yoon lifted martial law six hours later after parliament passed a motion calling on him to do so, approved by a Cabinet meeting early Wednesday.

DP members have compared Yoon's actions to a botched coup attempt and an "antistate" rebellion.

On Thursday, DP lawmakers filed treason charges against Yoon to police, an offense a sitting president can be indicted for. Police said it opened the investigation into the allegations.

This comes as Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung reportedly ordered the prosecution to directly the treason allegations against Yoon, according to legal sources, rather than transferring the case to police.

When asked by a DP lawmaker if he thought Yoon committed treason, Minister Lee replied, "I don't think so," saying the president "exercised the authority stipulated in the Constitution."

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su, who was named martial law commander Tuesday night and immediately declared all political activities and rallies were to be prohibited, claimed he only learned of the decree after Yoon's announcement.

Speaking to lawmakers at a parliamentary hearing of the defense committee Thursday, Park said, "I learned about the declaration of martial law after seeing President Yoon's announcement," adding, "I didn't order the martial law troops to enter the National Assembly."

When asked if he had read the martial law decree, Park replied he did, adding he told former Defense Minister Kim that it would "require legal review."

He said he had been told by Kim that a legal review had already been completed.

When asked who ordered troops to enter the National Assembly, he replied, "I don't know," and drew the line saying that it was not an order from himself.

BY SARAH KIM [[email protected]]