MoIS: "No Summary of Remarks in Yongsan 'Martial Law' Cabinet Meeting Minutes Received" (Update)

11 Committee Members Including President and Prime Minister Attend
Ministry of National Defense Responds "Did Not Prepare Agenda Materials"

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety requested the minutes of the Cabinet meeting related to the declaration of emergency martial law on December 3 from the Presidential Office and the Ministry of National Defense, but it was confirmed that the received materials did not contain any verbatim records or summaries of statements.

On the 11th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety stated, "We received the requested related materials from the Presidential Secretariat on the 6th regarding the declaration and lifting of emergency martial law," adding, "The response materials related to the declaration did not include the agenda or summaries of statements, so we are continuously requesting additional information."

According to the response materials, the Cabinet meeting related to the declaration was held on the night of the 3rd at 10:17 PM in the Presidential Office's main reception room and ended after 5 minutes at 10:22 PM. Attendees included President Yoon Seok-yeol, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Unification, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of National Defense, the Minister of the Interior and Safety, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Minister of Health and Welfare, and the Minister of SMEs and Startups, totaling 11 people.

The agenda item was titled "Proposal for Declaration of Emergency Martial Law," with the reason for the proposal stated as "to declare emergency martial law as of 10 PM on December 3, 2024, in order to maintain the constitutional order."

However, the summary of statements was noted as "not held." The minutes of the Cabinet meeting related to the lifting of the martial law also indicated that "there were no statements except for the explanatory proposal by the Minister of National Defense." The meeting time was recorded as from 4:27 AM to 4:29 AM on the 4th, along with the attendees, agenda item, and reason for the proposal. This meeting was attended by 16 people, including the Prime Minister, the Minister of Science and ICT, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of National Defense, the Minister of the Interior and Safety, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Minister of Environment, the Minister of Employment and Labor, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Minister of SMEs and Startups, the Chief of the Presidential Secretariat, the Director of the National Security Office, and the Director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination.

The Ministry of National Defense also responded that related materials "do not exist." The Ministry of the Interior and Safety stated, "The agenda materials related to the declaration of emergency martial law requested from the Ministry of National Defense were replied as 'no materials were prepared.'"

The Cabinet meetings are usually operated and the minutes prepared by the Secretariat Office of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. In the case of the December 3 emergency martial law, the meeting was held suddenly, and for the first time in history, no officials from the Secretariat Office attended.

Former Minister Lee Sang-min said during an urgent inquiry on emergency martial law at the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee on the 5th, "In this case, since the Secretariat Office of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety was not directly involved, we will receive related materials from the Presidential Office and disclose the minutes as soon as the preparation is completed, advancing the schedule as much as possible."