Prosecutors Conduct Search and Seizure at Coast Guard Headquarters Over Reversal of Announcement on West Sea Official Killing Case

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] On the 17th, the prosecution is conducting a search and seizure of the Korea Coast Guard in connection with the 'West Sea Public Official Killing Incident.'

The Public Investigation Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Lee Hee-dong) sent investigators to the Coast Guard headquarters and server locations in Songdo International City, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, to secure related documents from the Coast Guard Security Division, which first investigated the West Sea public official killing case. The prosecution stated, "This is a search and seizure to verify electronic document messenger data remaining in the Coast Guard office."

The prosecution is expected to analyze the investigation materials secured from the Coast Guard on that day to confirm whether there was any investigation interference by the Moon Jae-in administration's Blue House. This is a continuation of the search and seizure conducted the previous day. Earlier, the Public Investigation Division 1 simultaneously searched the residences and offices of related parties, including former National Intelligence Service Director Park Jie-won, former Minister of National Defense Seo Wook, former National Security Office Director Suh Hoon, subordinate units of the Ministry of National Defense, and the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard, which was the target of the search and seizure on this day, announced the interim investigation results one week after the killing of the late Lee Dae-jun, a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official, by North Korean soldiers in the West Sea in September 2020, stating that he was judged to have defected to the North. However, after one year and nine months, the Coast Guard held a press briefing and overturned the investigation results, saying they could not find evidence of Lee's intention to defect.