Expressed Intent to Defect to North Korea While Wearing Life Jacket When Found in North Korea
Coast Guard: "Low Possibility of Accident or Extreme Choice"
The fisheries guidance vessel on which the government official shot and killed in North Korea was aboard Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] A Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official who went missing at sea near Soyeonpyeongdo in the northern West Sea and was shot dead by North Korea was found to have gambled until just before his last duty shift. The police believe that the official defected to North Korea to escape reality due to desperate financial circumstances, including gambling debts.
The Korea Coast Guard held a press conference on the afternoon of the 22nd regarding the investigation into the whereabouts of Lee (47), a fishing supervisor of the Mugunghwa 10, affiliated with the West Sea Fisheries Guidance Unit.
The Coast Guard stated, "The missing person was deeply involved in online gambling, gambling frequently before, during, and after dispatch," and added, "It appears he defected to North Korea to escape reality in a state of mental panic."
Through analysis of Lee’s financial accounts, forensic examination of his mobile phone, and testimonies from those around him, it was confirmed that he had been experiencing severe financial difficulties, including filing for personal rehabilitation due to various debts caused by gambling.
Investigations revealed that over the past 15 months, Lee had engaged in online gambling worth several hundred million won in 591 instances, using money borrowed from financial institutions and acquaintances.
In particular, before going missing during a dispatch, he received money from about 30 people, including colleagues on the fisheries guidance ship and acquaintances, under the pretense of buying blue crabs, and transferred (bet) the money to gambling accounts. He also gambled about an hour before his last duty shift at 11:40 p.m. on the 20th of last month.
The Coast Guard also revealed that when Lee was found in North Korean waters, he was wearing a life jacket and relying on floating debris.
There were three life jackets (types A, B, and C) stored in Lee’s bedroom, but the B-type (red) life jacket was missing from the room, leading to the conclusion that Lee was wearing this life jacket.
Regarding the black slippers found among the ropes at the stern, all employees of Mugunghwa 10 and 13 denied ownership. Two crew members aboard Mugunghwa 13 stated, "We saw the missing person wearing them while watching TV in the dining room," concluding that the slippers belonged to Lee.
The Coast Guard stated that the floating debris Lee relied on was about 1.5 meters in size, stable enough to lie on without being separated by waves. They also explained that on the day he went missing, the fishing guidance ship Mugunghwa 10 was anchored with its anchor down, and the weather conditions were good.
The Coast Guard said, "When Lee was found in North Korean waters, he was wearing a life jacket and relying on floating debris, and he disclosed his personal information to a North Korean civilian vessel (a subsidiary ship of the Fisheries Business Office) and expressed his intention to defect," adding, "The possibility of accidental fall or extreme choice is very low."
As with the interim investigation results announced on the 29th of last month, the Coast Guard reaffirmed the possibility of Lee’s defection to North Korea this time as well.
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