Cho Kuk "Citizens Resisted Armored Vehicles All Night... No Cabinet Member Staked Their Position in Opposition"

Emergency Question on National Assembly Martial Law
Deputy Defense Minister: "The Current Commander-in-Chief is President Yoon Seok-yeol"

Jo Guk, leader of the Jo Guk Innovation Party, condemned the Cabinet members who attended the Cabinet meeting before President Yoon Seok-yeol declared martial law on the 11th. Jo said, "Not a single Cabinet member ever risked their position to oppose it," and added, "While the Cabinet members did not risk their positions to oppose, the people outside the fence were facing armored vehicles all night long," sharply criticizing them.

On the same day, during the 'Emergency Urgent Questioning on President Yoon Seok-yeol's Unconstitutional Martial Law Declaration and Treasonous Acts' held at the National Assembly, Jo repeatedly questioned the entire Cabinet.

"Anyone who thinks Yoon Seok-yeol is not the ringleader of treason, stand up"

"Anyone who thinks the December 3 martial law is constitutional, stand up"

"Lee Sang-min, the accomplice in treason, says he was happy every moment when resigning as minister; if anyone among the Cabinet members is happy, stand up"

Despite repeated questions, no one stood up.

Jo then listed the eight Cabinet members who attended the Cabinet meeting at the time and said, "They now claim they do not agree or support it, but I am certain that if the martial law had succeeded, they would have been praising the measures in Yongsan." He scolded, "Members of the National Assembly risked their lives to climb over the fence, but aren't you ashamed as Cabinet members of one country?"

Yonhap News

During the urgent questioning, the Deputy Minister of National Defense answered that the current military commander-in-chief is "President Yoon" and that martial law is "legally possible."

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Seo Young-kyo called Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to the podium and questioned him about his responsibility for 'failing to prevent martial law at the Cabinet meeting.' Prime Minister Han explained, "I became aware of the martial law declaration after arriving at the Presidential Office on the evening of the 3rd," and said, "I clearly expressed my opposition and convened Cabinet members to try to persuade the President." However, he added, "Ultimately, we could not stop it," and said, "I feel truly sorry, apologize, and carry a heavy sense of guilt."

Lawmaker Seo demanded that Prime Minister Han and other Cabinet members 'bow their heads and apologize.' In response, Prime Minister Han apologized twice with a bow on behalf of the Cabinet members. Cabinet members seated behind the podium also stood up one after another and bowed toward the podium. Among the Cabinet members attending the urgent questioning that day, many Deputy Ministers who did not attend the December 3 martial law Cabinet meeting were included. Nevertheless, except for Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo, the attendees expressed their apologies by bowing their heads in the National Assembly plenary hall.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.