Officials acquitted again in West Sea shooting case

A Seoul appellate court has upheld the acquittal of former National Security Advisor Suh Hoon and former Coast Guard Commissioner General Kim Hong-hee in connection with the death of a fisheries official in the West Sea. The two were charged with fabricating official documents and other offenses related to the incident in September 2020, where the official was shot and killed by North Korean forces.

“

The court found that the assessment of the possibility of voluntary defection to North Korea had reasonableness and considerable grounds.

The Seoul High Court ruled that the initial assessment by the Coast Guard suggesting the official's voluntary defection to North Korea was a reasonable judgment based on the available evidence. The court acknowledged that direct proof of the official's intentions was lacking, but cited factors such as the official wearing a life jacket and expressing a desire to defect to North Korea upon discovery in North Korean waters.

“

In this case, where there is no direct evidence, it is possible to criticize that this assessment was somewhat hasty or that the situation was exaggerated by using definitive expressions, but it is difficult to evaluate it as creating and distributing false information that harms public trust without any other special circumstances.

While the court conceded that the initial assessment might have been hasty or exaggerated in its wording, it concluded that it did not constitute the creation and dissemination of false information to the extent of harming public trust. The ruling implies that the government's security officials at the time acted within a plausible interpretation of the situation, despite the political sensitivities involved.

“

I believe the appellate court and this government's judiciary have committed a ruinous act by turning their backs on the people and forgetting the reason for the state's existence.

However, the victim's brother, Lee Rae-jin, vehemently criticized the ruling, calling it a "ruinous act" by the judiciary that disregarded the public and the fundamental purpose of the state. He announced plans to file a complaint with the International Criminal Court. Lawyers for Suh and Kim issued statements expressing condolences to the bereaved family but also condemning the alleged politicization of the tragedy for political gain. They expressed hope that the verdict would end speculation about the incident being a cover-up or fabrication.

“

We pray again for the repose of the deceased and offer our condolences to the bereaved family. However, the act of exploiting the unfortunate death of a citizen for political gain is unacceptable.