Former officials acquitted in West Sea incident cover-up case

Former presidential chief of staff Noh Young-min expressed his delight following the final acquittal of former officials from the Moon Jae-in administration. The case centered on allegations of a cover-up related to the 2020 killing of a South Korean fisheries official by North Korean forces in the West Sea.

Noh stated on his Facebook page that the prosecution's decision not to appeal the verdicts meant the case was finally concluded. He asserted that the audits and investigations by the Board of Audit and Inspection and the prosecution were "무리한 정지 보복적 감사와 수사" (unreasonable, politically motivated revengeful audits and investigations). He added that the court's rulings confirmed the rationality of the Moon administration's decisions at the time.

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The audits and investigations by the Board of Audit and Inspection and the prosecution were unreasonable, politically motivated revengeful audits and investigations.

"There was no reason to conceal it, breaking President Moon Jae-in's directive to 'report to the public as it is,'" Noh quoted the defendants' argument, which he said the court accepted. He also noted that the court's decision had invalidated the travel ban imposed on him by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, which had been in effect for two years.

The Seoul High Prosecutors' Office had previously decided not to appeal the acquittals of former National Security Advisor Suh Hoon and former Coast Guard Commissioner General Kim Hong-hee. The prosecution stated that after careful review and consultation, they determined there was no possibility of the appeals being accepted by the Supreme Court. The original charges alleged that the Moon administration had downplayed or concealed the facts of the official's death.

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There was no reason to conceal it, breaking President Moon Jae-in's directive to 'report to the public as it is,'