Court Approves Missing Person Declaration for North Korean-Killed Official... Death Recognized After 1 Year and 8 Months

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The court has officially recognized the death of a public official who was shot by North Korean soldiers in the West Sea in September 2020. This comes 1 year and 8 months after the incident.

According to the legal community on the 22nd, the Gwangju Family Court accepted the missing person declaration petition filed by the bereaved family of former Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official Mr. Lee on the 20th. This is a legal death ruling.

Mr. Lee's elder brother, Lee Rae-jin, said, "Until now, neither the truth has been clarified nor has the official death been confirmed, so we have not been able to hold a funeral yet. Everything must be settled for the family to return to daily life."

He added, "Starting from the court's recognition of death, we will proceed step by step with the process of filing complaints against the previous government's charges of aiding and abetting murder and dereliction of duty, conducting a truth investigation, and restoring honor."

Mr. Lee was shot by North Korean soldiers in the northern waters of the West Sea in September 2020. It is known that the North Korean soldiers burned his body after shooting him. The bereaved family filed an information disclosure lawsuit against the Blue House and the Ministry of National Defense to confirm the circumstances of the killing and partially won the case in November last year. The government appealed the ruling.