Emergency cabinet meeting held before martial law declaration

[Anchor]

Now, we will look into the situation before and after the declaration of martial law.

Just before the declaration of martial law, a closed Cabinet meeting was held, and most attendees expressed opposition or concern, but President Yoon pushed ahead.

First, reporter Lee Hyun-jun has the report.

[Report]

On the night of December 3rd, just before President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of emergency martial law, an emergency Cabinet meeting was convened at the presidential office at 10 PM.

There were 11 attendees, and when the Cabinet members heard that the agenda was the declaration of martial law, they all expressed their concerns.

[Lee Sang-min/Minister of the Interior and Safety: "I also expressed my concerns. There wasn't a clear division between support and opposition. I remember a couple of people used the term 'opposition."]

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, along with Economic Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok and Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, clearly expressed their opposition, citing the potential impacts on the economy and diplomacy.

National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong, who was present, is also reported to have opposed the declaration of martial law.

[Cho Kyu-hong/Minister of Health and Welfare: "Rather than considering the legal requirements, I felt that the economic and social repercussions of martial law would have too negative an effect, so I think I expressed that I could not agree."]

However, President Yoon emphasized that it was a constitutionally legitimate authority to respond to the opposition party's reckless actions.

In particular, he reportedly expressed strong dissatisfaction with the opposition party's push for the impeachment of the head of the Board of Audit and Inspection, a constitutional institution.

According to the Constitution and laws, the Cabinet meeting can only deliberate on the martial law proposal but does not have the right to vote.

Ultimately, the Cabinet meeting ended in about 20 minutes, and President Yoon immediately declared martial law.

This is KBS News, Lee Hyun-jun reporting.