Democratic Party Seohae Official TF: "No Pressure from Moon's Blue House During Defection Announcement"

"Last Month's Coast Guard Final Investigation Announcement, Claiming Yoon Government National Security Office Involvement"

Kim Byung-joo, head of the Democratic Party's 'West Sea Civilian Killing Incident Task Force,' is speaking to senior officials including Jung Bong-hoon, Commissioner of the Korea Coast Guard, during his visit to the Korea Coast Guard on the 5th.
[Photo by Korea Coast Guard]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] On the 5th, the Democratic Party of Korea claimed that there was no pressure from the Moon Jae-in administration's Blue House during the Coast Guard's judgment process regarding the 'West Sea killed public official' defecting to North Korea, and rather, the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's National Security Office was deeply involved in the recent investigation announcement stating that it was not a defection.

Kim Byung-joo, head of the Democratic Party's 'West Sea Public Official Killing Incident Task Force (TF),' made these remarks on the same day after meeting with Coast Guard officials at the Coast Guard Headquarters in Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, and speaking to reporters.

Kim said, "Regarding the claim by the People Power Party that the Blue House's Civil Affairs Office pressured the Coast Guard when it announced the interim investigation results in September 2020, estimating that the killed public official had defected to North Korea, it has been confirmed that this is not true," adding, "The Coast Guard Headquarters stated that 'there was no external pressure whatsoever.'"

He further asserted, "On the contrary, it was confirmed that the current presidential office was deeply involved in the final investigation results announcement last month, which overturned the defection judgment."

He explained, "The first deputy director of the National Security Office of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration held two meetings on May 24 and 26, jointly with the Coast Guard Headquarters and the Ministry of National Defense, and at that time, (Jung Bong-hoon) the Coast Guard chief left his post to attend the meetings," adding, "It was confirmed that the National Security Office mediated for the Coast Guard and the Ministry of National Defense to hold a joint press conference for the final investigation results."

Kim also refuted the claim by People Power Party lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung that "the Blue House and the Ministry of National Defense knew that the public official was dragged by North Korean soldiers for six hours before his death but still instructed the Navy and Coast Guard to search the wrong maritime area."

He pointed out, "All searches were decided and conducted by then Coast Guard chief (Kim Hong-hee) who determined the search areas," and said, "Such claims by lawmaker Ha are an insult to the Coast Guard and Navy who worked hard and devoted themselves to the search at that time."

At the meeting, five Democratic Party TF members including Kim, Yoon Gun-young, Hwang Hee, Yoon Jae-gap, and Boo Seung-chan, and seven Coast Guard officials including Chief Jung, Park Sang-chun, head of Incheon Coast Guard Station, and Kim Sung-jong, head of the Investigation Bureau, attended respectively.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard announced interim investigation results one week after the killing of Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official Lee Dae-jun (aged 47 at the time of death) by North Korean gunfire in the West Sea in September 2020, judging that he had defected to North Korea.

However, the Coast Guard reversed the investigation results at a press briefing held on the 16th of last month, stating that they could not find evidence of Lee's intention to defect.

Regarding this, Coast Guard Chief Jung Bong-hoon stated in a public apology on the 22nd of last month, "At the early stage of the incident, we judged it as defection based on the Ministry of National Defense's position that 'it is judged as defection' and information confirmed by the Coast Guard itself."

He explained, "Although we requested SI necessary for the investigation from the Ministry of National Defense in June last year, the Ministry did not provide the data, so we could not secure evidence to prove the defection-related charges," adding, "The intent of defection requires strict proof, and the consensus of the Investigation Review Committee was that the information in this case could not be used as 'evidence' under the rules of evidence."