Foreign minister admits that martial law caused 'serious damage' to Korea's diplomacy

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Foreign minister admits that martial law caused 'serious damage' to Korea's diplomacy

Published: 13 Dec. 2024, 19:16 Updated: 13 Dec. 2024, 22:01

SEO JI-EUN
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Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul answers questions during the National Assembly's plenary session in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Friday addressing President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law declaration. [YONHAP]

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul admitted Friday that President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived declaration of martial law had caused “serious damage” to Korea's diplomacy.

Cho, one of the few Cabinet members who openly opposed against the president's decision to put the nation under martial law on Dec. 3, said he'd warned the president about such a declaration's potential far-reaching consequences in advance.

“I earnestly requested reconsideration multiple times in a meeting with my colleagues. This is a grave issue that could not only cause diplomatic repercussions, but also potentially destroy all the accomplishments Korea has built over the past 70 years,” Cho said during the National Assembly’s inquiry into the martial law, with other Cabinet members present, during a plenary session Friday.

Cho also explained that he was “grappling with the personal dilemma,” during the six hours until the martial law was lifted, of whether to resign or fulfill his responsibilities as foreign minister, while addressing why he did not take a phone call from U.S. Ambassador to Korea Philip Goldberg on the night martial law was declared. He added that he believed communicating with Goldberg without clear content could “potentially mislead” the United States.

Cho said he would put all efforts into restoring trust in international relations and maintaining the Korea-U.S. alliance.

“Once legal and constitutional order is restored, I believe normalization will occur swiftly,” he said.

Recounting the night of Dec. 3 before Yoon declared the martial law, Cho said the president had handed him a single sheet of paper “contained brief directives for the foreign minister.”

“I no longer have [the document] as I left it inside,” Cho said. “It consisted of three or four lines. The situation was so shocking that I only remember the word ‘overseas missions.’”

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok also confirmed having received a similar one-page document outlining post-martial law measures.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo revealed limited communication with Yoon following the act, saying he'd spoken with the president on the phone “once or twice” after the declaration and subsequent lifting of martial law.

However, Han refrained from disclosing details of their conversations, stating, “It is not appropriate for me to reveal the content.”

Han reiterated that he “was not aware” of the martial law declaration in advance and that idea, initially proposed by the then Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, “did not go through” him to reach the president.

The Martial Law Act’s Article 2 stipulates that the minister of national defense or the minister of the interior and safety must recommend the declaration of martial law to the president via the prime minister.

“It is clear that this did not comply with the law,” Han said. “The public will make their judgment through proper procedures.”

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]