Shin Dong-geun on "Shooting Defectors to North Korea"... Jin Joong-kwon: "Are You Saying It's Not a Problem Because the North Killed Them Instead?"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Former Dongyang University Professor Jin Joong-kwon Facebook

[Asia Economy Reporter Nahana] Former Dongyang University professor Jin Joong-kwon criticized Shin Dong-geun, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea, for his remark that "defection to North Korea is a serious crime; during Park Geun-hye's administration, people were even shot," saying, "What a frightening person. Is he saying it's not a problem because North Korea shot them instead?"

On the 29th, Professor Jin posted on his Facebook, addressing Shin as "This person is frightening," and added, "I should write a separate column about this."

Regarding Shin's statement that "during the Park Geun-hye government, civilians who defected to North Korea were shot," Jin said, "Normally, in the frontline, those who refuse stop orders and attempt to defect are shot. Since they are 'suspected of being pro-North,' this is not an inhumane act."

He continued, "However, even our strict military does not shoot defectors coming from North to South. If South Korean soldiers shoot North Koreans, that is an inhumane act," and countered, "What North Korea did is exactly that."

He then sarcastically said, "What nonsense is this (from Shin)... You don't know what he's talking about, right?"

Earlier, on the 29th, Shin stated regarding the shooting of the missing public official in the West Sea, "Since it has been confirmed that the official defected to North Korea, unnecessary political attacks should stop."

Shin said, "Defection to North Korea is a serious anti-state crime," and "If it continues, they are sometimes shot." On the same day, he asserted on his Facebook that the missing official was a "defector," adding, "Crossing the border beyond our sovereignty is internationally understood as beyond remedy."

He further criticized, "Therefore, claims that a patrol ship should have been dispatched or fighter jets should have been sent are the height of irresponsibility," and pointed out, "(Those claims) are reckless arguments that we should have risked military conflict, even war, to catch voluntary defectors."

Meanwhile, the Korea Coast Guard announced on the 29th that they judged the public official shot dead by North Korean soldiers had defected to North Korea. However, the family of the deceased official claimed, "The announcement is fiction, and the government is forcing the narrative of defection."