Special Prosecutor Summons Kim Young-ho, Minister of Unification, First Called to Martial Law Cabinet Meeting... As a Witness

[Financial News]  The special prosecutor team for rebellion and foreign affairs (Special Prosecutor Cho Eun-seok) summoned Kim Young-ho, Minister of Unification, on the 20th.

The special prosecutor team is investigating Minister Kim as a witness this morning.

Minister Kim, who appeared at the Seoul High Prosecutor's Office building, where the special prosecutor's office is located, around 9:46 a.m., did not respond to questions about his attendance at the cabinet meeting just before the declaration of martial law.

The special prosecutor team is expected to confirm the situation of the cabinet meeting held before and after the declaration of martial law on December 3 last year with Minister Kim.

Minister Kim was one of the five cabinet members first called by former President Yoon Seok-yeol on the day of the martial law declaration to announce his plan.

According to Minister Kim's testimony, who was investigated by the special investigation headquarters for martial law at the prosecution last December, he received a call from former President Yoon around 8:06 p.m. on the day of martial law, saying "Come to Yongsan as soon as possible," and went to the presidential office.

After hearing from then Prime Minister Han Deok-soo at the presidential office that "the President seems to be declaring martial law," he said, "If martial law is declared, there will inevitably be serious problems in the economic, diplomatic, and security fields. I oppose martial law," according to Minister Kim's testimony.

Later, along with former Prime Minister Han and former Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol, he met with former President Yoon and dissuaded him, saying, "The South Korea-U.S. relationship will be completely ruined," but former President Yoon insisted, "What the President sees and what the ministers see are different," according to Minister Kim's testimony.

Former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae, former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who were also present, reportedly did not express any opposition to the declaration of martial law.

Minister Kim explained that he could not attend the cabinet meeting held early in the morning on December 4 last year to lift martial law because he fell asleep and did not read the Telegram message from former Secretary-General Bang Ki-sun asking him to come out to the Yongsan cabinet meeting room.

The special prosecutor team reconstructed the cabinet meeting situation by calling former Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol as a witness the previous day.

Based on the testimonies of the cabinet members at the time, it is expected to expand the investigation to former Prime Minister Han Deok-soo, who is identified as an accomplice in the alleged fabrication and destruction of the false martial law declaration by former President Yoon, and former Minister Lee Sang-min, who is suspected of ordering media blackout and water supply cut-off.

Meanwhile, the rebellion special prosecutor team postponed the resummoning schedule of Kim Yong-dae, the drone operations commander, which was scheduled for 10 a.m. today.

On the 17th, the special prosecutor team, which investigated Commander Kim, who is a suspect on charges of general treason, regarding the North Korean drone infiltration operation, plans to decide on the direction of handling his detention, including applying for an arrest warrant, after re-investigating him.kyu0705@fnnews.com Reporter Kim Dong-kyu