Employee statements also disclosed... "Entering cold seawater without waterproof suits is unreasonable"
Former National Security Office Chief Seo Hoon to be reported... "Will identify the planner to the end"
On the 17th, Lee Rae-jin, the brother of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official killed by North Korean soldiers 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 Yoo Byung-don] As the investigation results of the West Sea government official murder case have been overturned, causing a huge stir, the bereaved family claims that the military authorities and police at the time tailored the investigation to fit the 'defection to North Korea' narrative.
The wife and brother of the murdered government official held a press conference on the 17th at the Seoul Bar Association in Seocho-gu, Seoul, stating, "(The previous investigation) was a manipulation of state affairs by the previous administration," and "The investigation was fabricated under someone's orders at the time to create a defection frame."
Lee Dae-jun, a fisheries supervisor belonging to the West Sea Fisheries Guidance Management Unit of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, was shot dead by North Korean soldiers while drifting in the West Sea in September 2020, and his body was burned.
Based on military intelligence at the time and the fact that Lee had gambling debts, the Korea Coast Guard announced that Lee had voluntarily defected to North Korea and met with an accident. However, the Incheon Coast Guard overturned the initial investigation results on the 16th, stating, "No intention of defection was found."
Kim Ki-yoon, the legal representative of the bereaved family, presented the Coast Guard interrogation statements of the crew members of the fishing management vessel Mugunghwa 10, which Lee was on, claiming that the investigation authorities selectively disclosed evidence.
According to the statements, one crew member said during the police investigation, "If he intended to defect, he should have worn a wetsuit and entered the sea water, but he just entered the cold sea water, which makes me think it was suicide, not defection," and "There are wetsuits in each room, but when I checked Lee's room, the wetsuit was still there."
He also said, "From 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. on September 21, the tide was flowing inward, so I think it would have been impossible to break through the current and go north," and "I have no thought that he defected."
In addition, statements from the Coast Guard crew at the time denying the possibility of defection were revealed, such as "I was shocked to hear the absurd claim on today's news that Lee defected," "I never heard any politically colored remarks," and "He was not someone who mentioned anything related to North Korea."
Lawyer Kim said, "The crew also said that if someone falls into the water without a wetsuit, they would die of hypothermia within three hours, but this was also omitted," and "I think evidence was withheld to fit the defection narrative."
Lee's son's full letter to President Yoon Suk-yeol was also disclosed on the same day.
Lee's son wrote, "I wanted to shout to the world that 'My father is not a defector,' and thanks to the President, I can finally do so," and "My father was a citizen who paid taxes equally and had patriotism, raising the national flag early on every national holiday." Lee's wife shed tears while reading her son's letter aloud.
Along with this, the bereaved family announced that they would file a complaint against former National Security Office chief Suh Hoon, based on the Ministry of National Defense's announcement the previous day that instructions were received from the Blue House National Security Office.
They also said they would investigate whether there were specific orders from the Blue House and reportedly filed an information disclosure request with the Presidential Archives last month. Materials from the Moon Jae-in administration's Blue House have now been transferred to the Presidential Archives.
Lawyer Kim said, "If disclosure is denied, we plan to respond through administrative lawsuits, proposals to party floor leaders, and complaints against former President Moon Jae-in," and "We will find out who planned this case to the end."
The Presidential Records Act stipulates that access to records designated by the president can be restricted for up to 30 years. However, there are exceptions if two-thirds of the National Assembly members approve or if the presiding judge of the competent high court deems the records important evidence and issues a warrant.
With the Board of Audit and Inspection starting an audit of the Korea Coast Guard and the Ministry of National Defense on the same day, controversy surrounding the investigation results by the military authorities and the Coast Guard at the time is expected to intensify.
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