Ex-interior minister denies Yoon ordered power, water cut off

Feb 12, 2025, 06:16 am

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/Source: Yonhap News

AsiaToday reporter Nam Mi-kyung

President Yoon Suk-yeol emphasized the procedural legitimacy of the National Security Council meeting held before his Dec. 3 martial law declaration during the seventh hearing of his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court on Tuesday.

In regards to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s statement that the Cabinet Meeting on the day of the martial law declaration was informal, President Yoon rebutted, saying, “It is nonsensical to claim that ministers came to the President’s office for a casual meeting or for leisure." He argued that Han's statement was a misguided testimony trapped in the prosecution's “martial law-coup” narrative.

Former Minister of Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, who appeared as the first witness, testified that he had not received any prior instructions from President Yoon regarding power and water cuts. When asked by President Yoon's legal team if he had received any verbal or written instructions about such measures for specific buildings, including media outlets, he replied, "Absolutely not."

“The Minister of the Interior and Safety has no authority to command the Commissioner of the National Fire Agency or issue directives to them. During my tenure of over two years, I never gave any orders or suggestions to the Fire Agency Chiefs," Lee said.

President Yoon's defense team issued a statement saying, "It has been clearly established that President Yoon did not issue instructions for power and water cuts to media outlets during Martial Law," and added, "As testimonies continue, the truth about the Martial Law is being revealed."

National Security Office chief Shin Won-sik testified as a witness, denying the allegations raised by some media outlets regarding the possibility of a second Martial Law or refusal to lift the Martial Law. "When I suggested lifting the Martial Law to President Yoon, he immediately agreed. I am confident that the President never contemplated a second Martial Law," Shin said.

Regarding President Yoon's alleged statement about deploying 1,000 troops during the Martial Law, Shin clarified, "I received reports that he never made such a remark," dismissing the suspicions.

#Lee Sang-min #trial #impeachment #Yoon Suk-yeol