Song Mi-ryeong: "Yoon said after declaring martial law, 'Once you actually do it, it's nothing special'... It was not a Cabinet meeting"

[Financial News] Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryeong testified that former President Yoon Suk Yeol made remarks to the effect of, 'Once you actually do it, it's nothing special. It's nothing at all,' after declaring martial law.
On the 10th, Minister Song appeared as a witness at the trial of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who is charged with aiding and abetting insurrection and participating in major insurrectionary duties, presided over by Judge Jin Gwan Lee at the Seoul Central District Court.
Song, who has continued to serve as minister under both the Yoon Suk Yeol and Lee Jae-myung administrations, testified about the situation during the Cabinet meeting following the declaration of martial law.
Minister Song explained, "(Former President Yoon) came in and asked for something to drink, and after sitting down, he also said things like, 'Once you actually do it, it's nothing special. It's nothing at all.' Those words remain in my memory." She continued, "I also recall that he asked former Prime Minister Han to attend some events or schedules on his behalf, and I think he gave several instructions to various ministries."
Minister Song responded that she did not recall former Prime Minister Han trying to dissuade either former President Yoon or former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun from declaring martial law. She also stated that there were no recommendations to lift martial law after it was declared.
Former Minister Song also gave detailed testimony about the situation just before the declaration of martial law.
She said that after finishing an event in Ulsan on the day martial law was declared, she arrived at Gimpo International Airport and received a call from Kang Uigu, former secretary to the president, instructing her to come to the Office of the President of South Korea. Afterwards, former Prime Minister Han called and urged her to attend the Cabinet meeting. When the court asked, "Has former Prime Minister Han ever called to encourage you to attend other meetings?" Minister Song replied, "No, he has never done that before. This was the first time he urged me to come quickly."
Minister Song explained that after arriving at the Office of the President of South Korea, she asked former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min what was happening, and he replied, "Martial law." Song also testified that former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok conveyed his opposition to former Prime Minister Han. She added, "Former Deputy Prime Minister Choi, sounding more agitated than usual, asked Shin Won-sik, former National Security Advisor, and others, 'Did you know about this?' and everyone said they did not. He then asked, 'So did you discuss all this only with former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun?' Afterwards, he told former Prime Minister Han, 'Are you going to end your 50-year public service career like this?' To this, former Prime Minister Han quietly replied, 'I also oppose it.'"
Minister Song stated, "I had no idea why I was there," adding, "I consistently thought this was not a Cabinet meeting. The president came in for two or three minutes, made an announcement rather than holding a meeting, and then left, after which martial law was declared." She continued, "I felt like I was mobilized. I was called in just to make up the numbers, sat down, and then left. If I had known what was happening, I obviously wouldn't have gone. If we hadn't attended, maybe the situation wouldn't have unfolded as it did," she said, her voice trembling.

theknight@fnnews.com Jung Kyung-soo Reporter