Bereaved Family of North Korea-Shot Public Official Demands Dismissal of Coast Guard Chief and Defense Minister at Blue House

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] The bereaved family of Lee Mo (47), a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official who died after being shot by North Korean soldiers in the northern waters of Soyeonpyeongdo in the West Sea, will deliver a petition to the Blue House requesting the dismissal of the Commissioner of the Korea Coast Guard and the Minister of National Defense.

Lee Rae-jin (55), the elder brother of the deceased official, held a press conference on the afternoon of the 28th at the fountain square in front of the Sarangchae at the Blue House and disclosed the petition. Through the petition, he demanded the dismissal of Kim Hong-ui, Commissioner of the Korea Coast Guard, Seo Wook, Minister of National Defense, and Yoon Seong-hyun, Director of the Investigation and Intelligence Bureau of the Korea Coast Guard.

Lee said, "It has already been over a month since the incident occurred, but the Coast Guard has neither properly investigated the basic data at the time of disappearance nor found my brother," and emphasized, "The Coast Guard claims my brother defected to the North due to debt, but there was a plan to repay it in installments over three years, which was agreed upon with the court. Are you aware of this fact?"

He also stated, "I even filed an information disclosure request with the Ministry of National Defense because they said my brother confessed to defecting to the North verbally, but they say there is no such verbal confession," and added, "I hope Minister Seo, who is tearing the bereaved family's hearts apart with frequent changes in his statements, will be dismissed."

While submitting the petition, the bereaved family also plans to request information disclosure from the Blue House. The scope of the information disclosure request includes documents related to reports from the Ministry of National Defense, the Korea Coast Guard, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, as well as instructions from the Blue House, since the incident occurred on the 22nd of last month.

They will also request whether these agencies received reports indicating that communication networks with North Korea were blocked. Lee explained, "This is to determine whether the Blue House took protective measures before a South Korean citizen died," and added, "We need to verify whether the Ministry of National Defense concealed the fact that communication with North Korea was possible and reported this to the Blue House."