Fishing Supervision Official Missing Near Soyeonpyeongdo... Found in North Korean Waters, Military "Conducting Detailed Analysis" (Comprehensive)

Only Shoes Found on Fisheries Guidance Vessel... Verification Measures Taken with North Side

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 21st, the Ministry of National Defense announced on the 23rd that a public official who had boarded a fisheries guidance vessel to crack down on fishing boats near Soyeonpyeongdo in the West Sea went missing. Circumstances indicating that the missing public official was found in North Korean waters have been detected, prompting military authorities to conduct an analysis.

The Ministry of National Defense stated that on the 21st at 12:51 PM, a report was received by the Coast Guard that one crew member of a fisheries guidance vessel belonging to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries went missing in the sea 1.2 miles (2 km) south of Soyeonpyeongdo. The missing location is estimated to be about 10 km south of the Northern Limit Line near Soyeonpyeongdo.

However, just one day after the disappearance, on the 22nd, circumstances indicating that the missing public official was found in North Korean waters were detected, leading military authorities to conduct a detailed analysis. The Ministry of National Defense explained, "On the afternoon of the 22nd, circumstances indicating that the missing person was found in North Korean waters were detected, and a detailed analysis is underway." They added that necessary measures, including investigating the circumstances and route of disappearance and confirming related facts with the North Korean side, will be taken. If it is confirmed that the missing person is in the North, the relevant authorities are expected to request a recall.

The missing person has been identified as Mr. A, 47 years old, a marine fisheries officer belonging to the West Sea Fisheries Guidance Management Unit located in Mokpo. He was reportedly performing duties aboard the fisheries guidance vessel just before going missing.

According to military authorities, on the day of the disappearance, the 21st, at 11:30 AM, when Mr. A was not seen, the crew members aboard searched inside the fisheries guidance vessel but only found a pair of shoes on board and could not find the missing person, leading to a report to the Coast Guard. Since the report was received, the military and police have deployed Coast Guard vessels, naval ships, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries vessels, and aircraft from the afternoon of the 21st to conduct a search, but the missing person has not been found.