'No Suicide Note Found' for Official Killed by Gunfire in North Korea... Coast Guard "Cannot Rule Out Voluntary Defection"

Investigating After Securing Personal Notebooks and Wallets... Two Onboard CCTV Cameras Malfunctioning

Fishing supervision vessel on which the public official shot dead in North Korea was aboard [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Amid the death of a fisheries guidance officer who went missing near Soyeonpyeongdo in the northern West Sea after being shot by North Korea, no evidence indicating signs of defection, such as a suicide note, has been found so far.

On the afternoon of the 24th, the Incheon Coast Guard held a press briefing and announced the results of the on-site investigation conducted on the 499-ton fisheries guidance vessel A, which belongs to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

Vessel A is the ship on which B (47), a fisheries guidance officer belonging to the West Sea Fisheries Guidance Management Unit under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, was aboard until he went missing on the 21st. The vessel is currently located near Soyeonpyeongdo, Ongjin-gun, Incheon City.

The Coast Guard stated, "Upon inspecting B’s usual sleeping quarters on the fisheries guidance vessel, no mobile phone was found, and there were no unusual signs such as a suicide note." However, B’s personal notebook and wallet were secured from vessel A and are under investigation.

The Coast Guard also explained, "We checked two CCTV cameras installed inside vessel A, but they were not operational due to malfunction, so we could not determine B’s movements at the time of disappearance."

Considering that B’s shoes were left on the vessel at the time of disappearance, that he was well aware of the tidal conditions, that he was wearing a life jacket, and that he had expressed distress over debts, the possibility of voluntary defection cannot be ruled out. Investigations will continue with relevant parties.

B was a marine fisheries officer belonging to the West Sea Fisheries Guidance Management Unit under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and went missing on the 21st while performing duties aboard the fisheries guidance vessel approximately 2.2 km south of Soyeonpyeongdo.

The military and intelligence authorities stated that B attempted to defect to the North, drifted in northern waters, and was shot and killed by North Korean forces on the 22nd.

In a statement released that day, the Ministry of National Defense explained, "After a thorough analysis of various intelligence, our military confirmed that North Korea committed atrocities by shooting our citizen (the missing person from Soyeonpyeongdo) found in northern waters and burning the body."

They also issued a stern warning, saying, "All responsibility for the atrocities committed against our citizen lies with North Korea," and called for the punishment of those responsible.