What went down at the secretive Cabinet meeting leading to Yoon's martial declaration
Published: 05 Dec. 2024, 16:08
Updated: 10 Dec. 2024, 15:34
-
- KIM MIN-YOUNG
- [email protected]
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![President Yoon Suk Yeol before putting out a joint statement with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in Yongsan District, central Seoul on Tuesday. Yoon declared martial law on the same day. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/10/d220a0f5-0409-48b1-be10-abf4ae3ae1ba.jpg)
President Yoon Suk Yeol before putting out a joint statement with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in Yongsan District, central Seoul on Tuesday. Yoon declared martial law on the same day. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
In the lead-up to President Yoon Suk Yeol's unexpected decision to enact martial law on Tuesday, unwitting Cabinet members were summoned for a secretive meeting to discuss the impending declaration.
Now former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was the only Cabinet member who had prior knowledge of Yoon's decision to declare martial law on Tuesday. Kim, a former Lieutenant General, was the president's senior at Choongam High School.
The Cabinet meeting for reviewing Yoon's proclamation of martial law was held on Tuesday from 9 p.m. to 9:40 p.m. in the Yongsan presidential office's Cabinet meeting room, just before Yoon's televised declaration. Even among the close aides in the presidential office, no one except a select few involved in the president's security knew about Yoon’s decision to declare martial law.
Most ministers who attended the meeting reportedly learned about the agenda only upon arriving at the venue. The process was carried out in secrecy.
Article 77 of the Constitution grants the president the authority to declare martial law, subject to Cabinet review.
![Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun attends a Cabinet meeting in the government complex in Seoul on Tuesday. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/10/789b4d93-e578-47da-947b-2c9fe3bb1dca.jpg)
Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun attends a Cabinet meeting in the government complex in Seoul on Tuesday. [YONHAP]
The process of declaring martial law was not smooth. At around 8 p.m., about an hour before the meeting, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo arrived at the presidential office and expressed objections to the declaration, arguing that it could negatively impact the economy.
Han pointed out concerns such as fluctuations in the exchange rate and a decline in international credibility. Despite this, the prime minister failed to persuade Yoon, and the decision was made that the declaration would proceed while adhering to legal procedures.
Yoon then summoned the ministers to the presidential office. Once the minimum quorum of more than half the Cabinet — which is 11 members — was present for the swift execution of the martial law declaration, the meeting commenced.
According to an investigation by JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of Korea JoongAng Daily, attendees included Yoon, Han, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho, Justice Minister Park Sung-jae, Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung, Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong and SMEs Minister Oh Young-ju.
![Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks during a Cabinet meeting held in central government complex in central Seoul on Oct 10. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/10/6c94f9bc-6fe1-4b1a-a5c8-e18105edd1d2.jpg)
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks during a Cabinet meeting held in central government complex in central Seoul on Oct 10. [NEWS1]
In addition to Han, Deputy Prime Minister Choi and Foreign Minister Cho reportedly strongly opposed the declaration, citing its potential impact on the economy and foreign relations. Cho Tae-yul was said to have been the first to voice opposition, citing domestic and international repercussions. Despite repeated attempts during the meeting to change Yoon's mind, these efforts were unsuccessful. Few ministers agreed to the declaration without hesitation.
National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Cho Tae-yong, who is not a Cabinet member, was also present and reportedly opposed the declaration. Although the NIS Director is not a Cabinet member, the relevant laws allow for senior officials to attend if deemed necessary by the chairperson. Yoon’s decision to include the NIS director may have been linked to the reasoning for martial law, which Yoon attributed to threats from “North Korean communist forces.”
Yoon reportedly told the ministers that martial law was the last card left to normalize the state in response to the liberal Democratic Party's unilateral budget handling and impeachment proceedings. The president emphasized that the proclamation was a legitimate exercise of presidential authority under the Constitution and added, "I will take responsibility," maintaining a firm stance.
![National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief Cho Tae-yong prepares to take his seat alongside other intelligence officials taking part in a parliamentary audit at the spy agency’s headquarters in Seocho District in southern Seoul on Oct. 29. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/10/37588522-6b92-4798-9462-cc1507fee814.jpg)
National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief Cho Tae-yong prepares to take his seat alongside other intelligence officials taking part in a parliamentary audit at the spy agency’s headquarters in Seocho District in southern Seoul on Oct. 29. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
"The meeting was conducted in a very serious atmosphere,” said a senior PPP official. “While some ministers opposed, they had no choice but to comply when the president insisted." The declaration proceeded as planned, supported firmly by Yoon and Defense Minister Kim.
The Constitution and the Martial Law Act require the president to obtain a Cabinet review before declaring martial law. However, as there is no provision mandating a vote during the meeting, no formal vote took place that day.
"The Cabinet review and resolution have no binding force, so even if a vote had been conducted, it would not have prevented the declaration," said a senior PPP official. Yoon declared martial law at 10:23 p.m., immediately after the meeting, during a briefing in the first-floor press room of the presidential office.
![Police block entry to the Yongsan presidential office compound in central Seoul early Wednesday after President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/10/e0f6b0c9-a8a9-4f32-8808-ffc7bc8e7d0a.jpg)
Police block entry to the Yongsan presidential office compound in central Seoul early Wednesday after President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law. [NEWS1]
Approximately 157 minutes after Yoon's martial law declaration, at 1 a.m. on Wednesday, the National Assembly passed a resolution demanding its termination. Another Cabinet meeting was convened at 4:30 a.m., about three hours and 30 minutes later, to approve the termination of martial law six hours after it had been declared. According to PPP party insiders, Prime Minister Han and some ministers persuaded Yoon, who had initially been reluctant to rescind the declaration, to reverse his decision.
At 4:27 a.m., just before lifting martial law, Yoon made a public statement at the presidential office.
“At 11 p.m. last night, I declared martial law with a resolute will to save the country against antistate forces that are trying to paralyze the essential functions of the country and destroy the constitutional order of liberal democracy,” said Yoon in a televised address. "In response to the National Assembly's demand to terminate martial law, the military involved in martial law affairs has been withdrawn."
After the statement, Yoon left the presidential office around 6 a.m.
BY PARK TAE-IN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)