Text Message Evidence Between Cho Taeyong and Kim Gunhee Before and After Martial Law... "I Don't Remember"

National Assembly: "Two text messages exchanged with Kim Geon-hee the day before martial law... Cho Tae-yong replied the next day"
Cho Tae-yong responds, "It is not something that happens often"

Cho Tae-yong, the Director of the National Intelligence Service, was found to have exchanged text messages with Kim Geon-hee, the wife of President Yoon Seok-yeol, around the time of the declaration of emergency martial law on December 3. Regarding this, Director Cho responded, "I do not clearly remember."

Yonhap News

On the 13th, Director Cho appeared as a witness at the 8th hearing of President Yoon's impeachment trial held at the Constitutional Court's grand bench. When asked by the National Assembly side, "According to the call records, you received two text messages from the First Lady on December 2, the day before the martial law, and replied on the 3rd. Do you remember this?" he replied, "I do not clearly remember. If something remains, perhaps you can judge by looking at it."

When the National Assembly side asked, "Isn't it unusual for the National Intelligence Service Director and the First Lady to exchange messages on the day before and the day of the martial law?" he said, "It is not something that happens often."

Additionally, when asked about a phone call between Director Cho and Seong Il-jong, a member of the People Power Party, on the day before the martial law declaration, he said, "I occasionally call Assemblyman Seong because we are acquainted," but added, "I do not remember the details." Regarding the call records on the day of the martial law, he also said, "I do not clearly remember."

In response, when the National Assembly side asked if it was problematic that the National Intelligence Service Director had a call with a ruling party member while Park Seon-won, a member of the Democratic Party and secretary of the Intelligence Committee, had a call with Hong Jang-won, the first deputy director of the National Intelligence Service, Director Cho replied, "If I need to talk with the secretary of the Intelligence Committee, I should talk with the director of the Planning and Coordination Office responsible for the National Assembly," and added, "The call with the first deputy director is somewhat puzzling."