Yoon Says No Issues with State Council Meeting Procedures, Believes Meeting Documents Can Be 'Approved Retroactively'

President Yoon Suk-yeol Testifies at the 7th Impeachment Hearing and Presents His Opinion

President Yoon Suk-yeol argued on the 11th during the 7th hearing of the Constitutional Court impeachment trial that there was no procedural violation in the Cabinet meeting held just before the declaration of martial law. In particular, he stated that Cabinet members could approve the Cabinet meeting documents retrospectively.

On the same day, immediately after the cross-examination of former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min ended, President Yoon obtained an opportunity to present his opinion to the court and explained the background of the omission of departmental procedures in the Cabinet meeting documents. He said, "The declaration of martial law is a presidential act under national law, with the Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense, and the President as the main actors, but the Chief of the Presidential Secretariat initially prepared the documents and obtained signatures." He then cited remarks from Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, claiming that the Ministry of National Defense, which holds the authority and responsibility for drafting, did not submit the approval.

He also stated that the departmental approval for the Cabinet meeting documents does not necessarily have to be done in advance. President Yoon said, "I thought it was not mandatory to get departmental approval beforehand," adding, "Since the drafter of the document, who is a staff member, can know the contents of the national legal act requiring confidentiality, I thought it could be approved electronically afterward."

Meanwhile, regarding the preparation of the Cabinet meeting minutes, President Yoon said, "On December 6, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety requested the documents to prepare the Cabinet meeting minutes, and on the 10th, the Presidential Secretariat sent them," adding, "The responsibility and authority for document preparation lie with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety."