President Yoon Suk-yeol appears in court [Photo Joint Press Corps] 

President Yoon Suk-yeol has for the first time responded to an investigation by the comprehensive special prosecutor's office, which is making the absurd claim that it is illegal to have instructed allies, including the United States, to convey a message justifying the imposition of martial law on December 3rd. 

According to media reports on the 6th, President Yoon appeared before the 2nd comprehensive special prosecutor's team led by Kwon Chang-young. The special prosecutor's office requested Yoon's appearance as a suspect for the charge of abuse of power and obstruction of the exercise of rights. 

President Yoon arrived at the special prosecutor's office in Gwacheon City, Gyeonggi Province, around 9:50 AM, riding in a convoy vehicle from the Ministry of Justice, and entered the investigation room. 

Citizens supporting President Yoon Suk-yeol gathered around the special prosecutor's office, holding picket signs and chanting slogans to send messages of support.

This is the first suspect investigation conducted by Special Prosecutor Kwon Chang-young's team into President Yoon. It has been 101 days since the special prosecutor's office was launched on February 25th. 

The special prosecutor's office is causing controversy by claiming that President Yoon's instruction, immediately after the declaration of martial law on December 3rd, to convey a message through the Presidential Office's National Security Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to allies like the United States, stating that martial law was justified, is also a criminal offense. 

The message is known to have contained content such as, "This measure is to protect liberal democracy" and "President Yoon Suk-yeol maintains a stance against pro-North Korea leftists and anti-American sentiment."

The National Security Office, having received the instruction, reportedly transmitted President Yoon's message to the National Intelligence Service the day after the martial law was declared, along with a request to "explain the background of the state of emergency to allied nations."

Subsequently, at the direction of then-NIS Director Cho Tae-yong, the overseas department under the NIS's First Deputy Director translated the message into English and personally explained it to the chief of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), according to the special prosecutor's team's findings. 

Hanmiilbo Social Affairs Department