Security Office: "Shin Won-sik's statement 'Kim Yong-hyun overdid it' is not true"

"Director Shin Did Not Meet Han Duck-soo During Martial Law"

On November 1st last year, Shin Won-sik, Director of the National Security Office, is speaking at the National Assembly's Steering Committee's audit of the Presidential Secretariat, National Security Office, and Presidential Security Service. Photo by Yonhap News

The National Security Office refuted media reports claiming that Shin Won-sik, head of the National Security Office, told Prime Minister Han Duck-soo just before the declaration of martial law that "Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun overstepped," stating that "this is not true."

The Presidential Office announced on the 30th through a notice, saying, "The National Security Office has informed us as follows," and stated, "Today, the police testimony of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was reported, but this is not true."

The Security Office explained, "Director Shin Won-sik did not attend the Cabinet meeting related to the declaration of martial law on December 3, nor did he meet with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo or other Cabinet members before the meeting."

It added, "Regarding the situation at that time, Director Shin has accurately testified to the investigative authorities."

Earlier, Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that Director Shin, just before the declaration of martial law, called Prime Minister Han into another room at a gathering of Cabinet members and evaluated former Minister Kim as "someone who usually oversteps," saying "Minister Kim overstepped."

It also reported that Prime Minister Han made such a statement during police questioning last month. Director Shin is a senior alumnus of the same class at the Korea Military Academy as former Minister Kim and served as Minister of National Defense immediately before him.