Former President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a trial held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 19th. Court video capture. 

Former President Yoon Suk-yeol confirmed that the State Council meeting held on December 3rd of last year, just before the declaration of martial law, was lawful in his trial. 

Yoon made these remarks at the continued trial of charges including obstruction of special official duties, held at the 35th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Baek Dae-hyun) on the 21st. 

In this trial, which focused on charges of obstructing arrest and documentary evidence related to the secret phone, Yoon took the stand to re-emphasize the legality of the State Council meeting. 

Yoon stated, "The State Council, which is a constitutional requirement for declaring martial law, is not convened by haphazardly gathering any State Council members. The most essential members, including the President, Prime Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister for Economy, are essential members designated by the President."

He further strongly dismissed claims by some that a State Council meeting did not occur, stating, "The closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the State Council meeting has already been released in former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's trial, viewed by most of the public, and public opinion also supports that 'the State Council was properly conducted'."

Yoon's defense attorney stated, "The core issue of the case is the legal judgment of the State Council meeting. We request that the Presidential Office's CCTV footage be submitted as evidence to determine whether the State Council meeting was actually held on the day of the martial law declaration."

In relation to this, Yoon re-emphasized, "It is a prerequisite for determining whether the State Council meeting was properly conducted and whether the deliberative rights of the State Council members were deprived (to submit the CCTV footage)."

Conversely, the special prosecutor's team offered an unconvincing explanation, stating, "How the State Council meeting was conducted is not the main issue, and we did not separately request CCTV footage as evidence." They argued, "The indictment states that the deliberative and voting rights of State Council members who did not participate in the State Council meeting were infringed." 

In response, the court advised Yoon's side, "If you believe this evidence is favorable, we hope the defendant's side will request its submission."

During the documentary evidence examination process on this day, messages exchanged between Yoon and Kim Seong-hoon, Deputy Chief of the Guard, via the chat app Signal during the execution of an arrest warrant by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) in January were revealed.

On January 7th, Yoon sent a message related to the 'safety of the Commander-in-Chief,' and former Deputy Chief Kim replied, 'I will carry out my solemn duty without wavering.' 

On the 10th, Deputy Chief Kim also sent a message to Yoon stating, 'I will strengthen my resolute will while thinking of the supporters who are suffering on the streets for you, Mr. President.' 

The CIO's attempt to execute an arrest warrant for Yoon was initially thwarted by the Guard Office on January 3rd, and was successfully carried out on January 15th after a second attempt. 

Yoon was arrested and indicted in July on charges including: △ obstruction of the CIO's execution of an arrest warrant, △ infringement of the constitutional right to deliberate and vote on martial law for nine State Council members who were unable to attend the State Council meeting prior to the declaration of martial law, and △ post-dating and destroying the martial law declaration document. 

Hanmiilbo Editorial Department