Hanbyun "Moon Administration Focused Only on Concealing West Sea Official Killing Incident... Reinvestigation Needed"

On the 17th, Lee Rae-jin, the brother of a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official killed by North Korean forces in September 2020, made a statement regarding the so-called 'West Sea Official Killing Incident' announced the previous day by the Presidential Office and the Coast Guard at the Seoul Bar Association building in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Regarding the suspicion that the 'West Sea Public Official Killing Incident' during the Moon Jae-in administration was unjustly distorted, the conservative lawyer group 'Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea (Hanbyeon)' has demanded a fact-finding investigation.

On the 17th, Hanbyeon issued a statement claiming, "The Moon Jae-in administration was so focused on concealing the truth of the incident with a submissive attitude toward the North Korean regime that it failed to protect the lives of the people," and insisted that the case must be reinvestigated.

They added, "The core information of the matter has been sealed as presidential records by the Moon Jae-in administration," and demanded, "Disclose the concealed information yourselves."

Furthermore, they emphasized, "The bereaved family is considering filing a complaint against former President Moon for aiding and abetting murder and dereliction of duty," and stated, "Former President Moon and related persons must face legal judgment for neglecting their duty to protect the lives of the people."

The day before, the Incheon Coast Guard announced that it could not find any intention of defection to the North by Lee Dae-jun (47 at the time of death), a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official who went missing in September 2020 off Soyeonpyeongdo, Ongjin County, Incheon, and was shot dead in North Korean waters. Subsequently, the Presidential Office and related ministries also stated that the incident had been unjustly distorted and decided to disclose related information.