Park Ji-won "Detention of Inter-Korean Expert Seo Hoon Is Really Unjust"

KBS Radio Appearance... "No Voluntary Defection Order... Will Testify to Prosecutors"
Park Ji-won "Political Retaliation Against Previous Administration and Opposition Suppression"

Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won is attending a press conference related to the West Sea government official shooting incident and the expulsion of heinous criminals, hosted by the Democratic Party's Yoon Seok-yeol Regime Political Oppression Countermeasures Committee, held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the morning of October 27. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Former Blue House National Security Office Director Seo Hoon, identified as the final decision-maker and person responsible for the 'West Sea Public Official Shooting Incident,' has been detained, while former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won expressed deep regret.

On the 5th, Park appeared on KBS's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strongest Current Affairs' and emphasized that Seo is not a politician but an expert on North Korea. Park said, "In fact, I worked with Seo Hoon since the 2000 Inter-Korean Summit as a special envoy preparing for the summit. Seo was the team leader at that time. Former President Kim Dae-jung promoted him to director level, calling him a national security asset." He continued, "In such a divided country, it is very regrettable and wrong that issues related to inter-Korean affairs arise every time the regime changes. Considering that this human asset is not a politician but an expert, I think his detention is really not right."

When the host asked, "What you are saying now seems almost identical to former President Moon Jae-in's SNS statement, right?" he replied, "Actually, I posted on SNS first, and some media reported it." He added, "But since President Moon also said the same thing, I felt our views were aligned."

Moon: "Seo Hoon, with long experience and expertise... It's very unfortunate to break such an asset"

On the 4th, former President Moon wrote on his Facebook that Seo's detention was "very unfortunate because a trusted asset with long experience and expertise like Seo Hoon is hard to find again." He added, "The best negotiation strategy between North and South Korea and between South Korea and the U.S. is trust. Trust is not built overnight. Once trust is broken, it becomes even harder. Consistent efforts over a long time are needed."

In response, on the 4th, Park Jeong-ha, senior spokesperson for the People Power Party, stated in a verbal comment, "Former President Moon's hypersensitive reaction to Seo Hoon seems to be an attempt to defend Seo and avoid responsibility." She added, "We ask former President Moon to please not cross the line." On the same day, People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong criticized on Facebook, "They are trying to reframe the fabricated defection and Seo Hoon's detention as a loss of diplomatic assets. It is truly cunning and petty."

Seo Hoon, former director of the Blue House National Security Office, is attending the pre-arrest interrogation related to the 'West Sea Public Official Shooting Incident' held at the Seoul Central District Court on the morning of the 2nd. Photo by Yonhap News

Park Ji-won: "Political retaliation and opposition suppression... Seo Hoon is not a politician"

When asked about the People Power Party's stance, Park said, "Since the People Power Party's reaction is completely opposite, I don't feel it's worth discussing. If former President Moon wanted to avoid responsibility, would he have said 'I approved it'?" He added, "The blade may be aimed at former President Moon, but the fact that Seo Hoon was detained as the final person responsible and decision-maker is clearly stated. Therefore, I will try to direct it there, but considering public sentiment and respect for a former president, I think it won't go that far."

Regarding the issuance of the arrest warrant, when asked, "According to the prosecution, information was deleted. The deleted information is believed to be evidence that contradicts voluntary defection," Park responded, "There was no instruction from Seo Hoon to delete anything, nor did I give such an order. I attended all relevant ministerial meetings and NSC meetings, and I can clearly state that no such instruction was given. I will also testify this to the prosecution." He reiterated that Seo never instructed to delete materials contradicting voluntary defection.

Regarding speculation that the prosecution might summon Park following Seo's detention, he said, "I see it as political retaliation." Park claimed, "Everything is being framed by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration as former President Moon's responsibility or Lee Jae-myung's corruption."

He continued, "This should be seen as political retaliation against the previous administration and suppression of the opposition. In a divided country like South Korea, contacts for inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation are a kind of presidential governance act, but it does not go beyond the law. If such matters are investigated and punished every time the regime changes, who will step forward to improve inter-Korean relations?" He emphasized again, "Seo Hoon served as NIS director but is not a politician. He approaches matters very practically."

On the 3rd, Judge Kim Jeong-min of the Seoul Central District Court, responsible for arrest warrants, issued an arrest warrant for Seo Hoon, citing "the seriousness of the crime, the suspect's status, and the risk of evidence destruction."

Seo is accused of abuse of authority and obstruction of rights for ordering related ministries to delete intelligence reports and conceal the shooting incident during a ministerial meeting held around 1 a.m. on September 23, 2020, the day after the late Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official Lee Dae-jun was killed by North Korean soldiers. After the incident became public through the media, he is also accused of fabricating false documents and using them by hastily concluding that Lee had defected voluntarily, causing related agencies such as the Ministry of National Defense, National Intelligence Service, and Korea Coast Guard to include false information in their reports and press releases.