Seoul: Former Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul was summoned for questioning on Saturday by a special counsel team responsible for investigating former President Yoon Suk Yeol's attempt to impose martial law. "We are questioning Cho," the team said in a brief statement released to the media. Cho was summoned as a person of interest rather than a suspect, in connection with a Cabinet meeting held shortly before Yoon declared martial law on December 3. He was among select Cabinet members who attended the meeting.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the special counsel also plans to question Cho about a foreign ministry spokesperson's distribution of controversial press guidance defending the martial law declaration to foreign media on December 5. Cho reportedly learned of Yoon's plan after attending the meeting and strongly opposed it. In his testimony to the special counsel in December, Cho initially believed the emergency Cabinet meeting was related to contact with then U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

When Yoon declared martial law, he reportedly handed Cho a sheet of paper containing instructions for diplomatic missions on how to operate under martial law. Cho reportedly urged Yoon to reconsider, warning that the move could undermine South Korea's democratic progress built over the past 70 years. Yoon allegedly did not relent, stating that the decision was not made for personal reasons.

Despite Cho's opposition, martial law was enforced. A staff member from the presidential office later asked him to sign a related document, which he refused to do, according to his account.