Military testimonies reveal President Yoon's direct oversight of martial law operations

[Anchor]

Key commanders who carried out operations after the declaration of martial law revealed the situation at that time during meetings with opposition lawmakers.

There were also testimonies that President Yoon directly called the commanders to check on the status of the martial law operations.

Hwang Hyun-kyu reports.

[Report]

After the declaration of martial law, Army Special Warfare Command chief Kwak Jong-geun received the first martial law operation order directly from former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun.

The tasks included securing National Assembly facilities, controlling personnel, and securing the "Public Opinion Flower" facilities operated by the Election Commission and news factories, as well as guard duties.

However, during the operation, the Special Warfare Commander received a call checking on the situation, and he testified that the call was from President Yoon Suk Yeol, not the minister who issued the order.

[Kwak Jong-geun/Special Warfare Commander/YouTube channel of Democratic Party's Kim Byung-joo: "I remember receiving a call asking where the 707 (Special Mission Unit) was moving at that time. (Was it the president's voice you heard?) Yes. (You didn't say where?) Yes, I said we were on the move."]

The timing was just before the troops arrived at the National Assembly, indicating that President Yoon was directly overseeing the urgently carried out martial law operation.

Lieutenant General Lee Jin-woo, who commanded the Capital Defense Command responsible for border duties outside the National Assembly, also stated that he received a call from the president.

[Lee Jin-woo/Capital Defense Commander/YouTube channel of Democratic Party's Kim Byung-joo: "(The president) asked, 'What is the situation there?' I replied, 'It's very complicated, and our personnel cannot move.' He listened quietly and then said, 'I understand,' and hung up."]

This reveals that President Yoon Suk Yeol was specifically involved in the martial law operations after the declaration of martial law, raising attention on how this may play a role in the upcoming impeachment motion.

KBS News, Hwang Hyun-kyu.