Criticism Grows Over Government's Passive Response to North Korean Killing
Military: "Could Not Imagine Such Atrocity"
Cheong: "Not a Violation of the September 19 Military Agreement" Judgment
President Moon Jae-in delivered a keynote speech via video at the 75th United Nations General Assembly held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA, on the morning of the 23rd (Korean time). Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy reporters Han Seung-gon and Kang Joo-hee] It has been confirmed that Lee Mo (47), a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official who went missing on Yeonpyeong Island, was shot dead by North Korea and his body was burned, sparking public outrage over the government's complacent response.
According to the Ministry of National Defense on the 24th, Lee, a marine fisheries clerk (grade 8) belonging to the West Sea Fisheries Guidance and Management Unit based in Mokpo under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, went missing on the 21st about 1.2 miles (2 km) south of Soyeonpyeong Island at sea.
On the day of his disappearance, Lee was not seen around 11:30 a.m. during lunchtime, prompting other crew members to search inside the ship and nearby waters before reporting to the coast guard. It is known that Lee's shoes were found inside the ship at that time.
The problem lies in the government's response immediately after the disappearance. Citizens are expressing not only disbelief but also anger over the situation where a Korean citizen was shot and his body brutally desecrated.
The military authorities identified Lee's location the day after his disappearance, on the 22nd. Through surveillance intelligence assets, the military detected signs that a North Korean fisheries enforcement boat found the missing Lee around 3:30 p.m. in the waters off Deoksan Cape, Hwanghae Province.
The time North Korean forces are estimated to have fired at Lee was around 9:40 p.m. on the 22nd. Considering the circumstances of Lee's disappearance and the incident, it appears that North Korea held him for about nine hours.
Ahn Young-ho, Chief of Operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, attended the National Defense Committee plenary meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 24th, reporting on the case of the missing public official shot by North Korea near Yeonpyeong Island. Photo by Yonhap News
As a result, citizens are demanding to know what exactly the government was doing during those nine hours.
On the 24th, Defense Minister Seo Wook appeared at the National Assembly's National Defense Committee plenary session and explained the delayed disclosure of the incident after media reports by saying, "We did not think North Korea could commit such a heinous act, so we were analyzing the information."
He added, "We were in the process of piecing together fragments from various sources to create intelligence and identified the incident's details. We needed time to verify if this was truly factual, and regardless of President Moon Jae-in's UN speech, we made efforts to increase the credibility of the information," emphasizing this point.
This can also be seen as the military authorities failing to make a proper judgment despite obtaining intelligence. Citizens are expressing strong reactions.
A 28-year-old office worker, A, said, "The state was watching in real-time as its citizen went missing and was threatened by North Korean forces but did nothing. Isn't the reason for the state's existence to protect its people? How can they explain such a critical situation by saying they did not expect the worst to happen?" expressing frustration.
A added, "While North Korea's atrocities are infuriating, I am even more angry at the government that, knowing this situation, did nothing to protect its citizens and only worried about North Korea. Afterward, the government's only action was a mere formal demand for an apology," criticizing the government.
A man in his 30s, B, said, "Even after witnessing a citizen being shot and burned to death, the government's only response was to express regret. I don't understand what responsible answers or measures the government expects from North Korea, which committed such inhumane atrocities. While talking about a declaration to end the war and peace, our people were dying. How can any citizen live with peace of mind in such a country?" he condemned.
On the morning of the 25th, near Yeonpyeongdo, Ongjin-gun, Incheon, officials from a vessel believed to be a coast guard ship conducted an investigation on the fishing guidance vessel Mugunghwa 10, which was carrying a missing Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official, before boarding a boat and moving away. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Some speculate that the announcement of Lee's death was delayed due to President Moon Jae-in's live broadcast of his keynote speech at the UN General Assembly (from 1:26 a.m. to 1:42 a.m. on the 23rd), where he mentioned a 'declaration to end the war' and 'peace.' Criticism toward the government is also continuing within political circles.
On the 24th, Bae Jun-young, spokesperson for the People Power Party, said in a statement, "It is suspicious that the fact that the official who went missing on the 21st was killed was revealed only after the president's UN speech on the 23rd. We cannot help but suspect that the government's proposal for a declaration to end the war without denuclearization has pushed the lives of our people to the back burner." He added, "The government, which should have investigated the circumstances and devised countermeasures even at midnight, is responding as if it were someone else's issue," criticizing the government.
Former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seung-min also wrote on his Facebook on the same day, "Right after North Korea trampled on the lives of our citizens in the West Sea, the president spoke about peace at a military promotion ceremony. Even though North Korea trampled on our people's lives, President Moon only has the words 'declaration to end the war' and 'peace' in his mind," he pointed out.
Yoo further criticized, "The fact that our military only watched while our citizens were shot and their bodies desecrated calls into question the very reason for the military's existence. A military that cannot protect the lives of its people has no reason to exist. This situation arose because the commander-in-chief, the president, has lost the qualification to command the military," strongly condemning.
Meanwhile, the government condemned North Korea's actions but officially stated that this is not a violation of the September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement.
Seo Joo-seok, Secretary General of the National Security Council (NSC) and First Deputy Director of the National Security Office, said at a briefing at the Blue House Chuncheon Hall on the same day, "North Korean forces shot and killed our unarmed citizens who showed no intention of resistance and desecrated their bodies, which cannot be justified for any reason. We strongly condemn this," but added, "This matter is not a violation of any detailed provisions of the September 19 Military Agreement."
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