Coast Guard: "Cannot rule out the possibility of voluntary defection to North Korea"
Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries: "Low possibility of simple accidental fall"
Older brother of Mr. A: "Would someone trying to defect leave behind their government ID?... Baseless claim" rebuttal
[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] The controversy over whether Mr. A, a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official who went missing near Soyeonpyeongdo Island close to the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea and was killed by North Korean forces, voluntarily defected to North Korea is intensifying. The Ministry of National Defense and the Coast Guard are leaning toward the possibility of 'voluntary defection.' In response, Mr. A's older brother strongly refuted this as a 'baseless assumption.'
On the afternoon of the 24th, Shin Dong-sam, head of the Incheon Coast Guard Station, stated in a briefing, "We cannot rule out the possibility of voluntary defection." The Coast Guard's grounds for considering the possibility of voluntary defection include five main points: ▲ Mr. A's shoes were left on the ship at the time of disappearance ▲ he was well aware of the tidal conditions at the time ▲ he was wearing a life jacket ▲ he had previously expressed distress over debts ▲ and intelligence related to the Ministry of National Defense.
Prior to the Coast Guard briefing, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries stated, "There is (still) no evidence or circumstances indicating voluntary defection," but also expressed the view that "the possibility of a simple accidental fall is low." They noted that, as the Coast Guard pointed out, Mr. A's slippers were neatly placed behind the Mugunghwa 10 (a fisheries guidance vessel) where he worked, and the weather conditions at the time were favorable, making it difficult to consider it a simple accident.
Regarding the possibility of voluntary defection, Mr. B, Mr. A's older brother, strongly opposed it as "an unreasonable claim." In an interview with a media outlet, Mr. B said, "The government ID and identification card were still on the ship Mr. A was on," adding, "It is hard to understand that someone would defect to North Korea leaving behind a government ID that North Korea could trust." Regarding the slippers found at the stern, he said, "It is uncertain whether the slippers left on the ship were his, and since they were under a rope, they cannot be considered evidence of defection." He also explained, "They say he wore a life jacket because he defected, but it is something that must be worn regularly, and my brother, who is 180 cm tall, could have accidentally fallen over the thigh-high railing into the sea while stepping out to smoke early in the morning." Crew members on fisheries guidance vessels are required to wear life jackets during working hours. If Mr. A went missing during his duty shift rather than break time, it is natural that he was wearing a life jacket.
According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Mr. A, a grade 8 official, started his duty shift at midnight on the 21st with one colleague. After the shift ended at 4 a.m., he was supposed to rest until lunchtime and then return to work in the afternoon. However, Mr. A did not appear at the dining hall during lunchtime. Concerned colleagues began searching for him from 11:30 a.m., and at 12:51 p.m., they reported his disappearance to the Coast Guard. Subsequently, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, along with the Coast Guard and Navy, deployed 17 vessels and 2 aircraft for search operations. It was only on the morning of the 24th that the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries learned through the Ministry of National Defense's announcement that Mr. A had been killed by North Korean forces. The search continued until then. No information about Mr. A was received from the Ministry of National Defense.
The Coast Guard is checking Mr. A's mobile phone call records, financial and insurance accounts to clarify the exact reason why he left the fisheries guidance vessel. However, the phone was not found during the onboard inspection, and although personal notebooks, wallets, and other belongings were checked, no unusual signs such as a suicide note were discovered. Both CCTV cameras that could have tracked Mr. A's movements were out of order. Ultimately, until credible testimony from Mr. A's colleagues or conversations between Mr. A and the North Korean side are confirmed, the controversy over Mr. A's voluntary defection is bound to continue.
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