West Sea Incident: Suh Hoon, Kim Hong-hee Acquittals Confirmed as Prosecutors Drop Appeal

Prosecutors have abandoned their appeal, solidifying the acquittal of former National Security Advisor Suh Hoon and former Coast Guard Commissioner General Kim Hong-hee. The two officials had been indicted on charges of fabricating investigative results and disseminating false information concerning the 2020 killing of a fisheries official by North Korean forces in the West Sea.

The Seoul High Court had previously upheld the lower court's decision, acquitting both Suh and Kim. The court stated that there were "reasonable and substantial grounds" to infer the deceased official's "voluntary defection" to North Korea. While acknowledging that the investigation results announcement might have contained some definitive language, the court concluded that it did not constitute the creation or dissemination of false information.

The case dates back to September 2020, when the official, identified as Lee Dae-jun, was killed by North Korean forces. The Moon Jae-in administration had initially announced that Lee had voluntarily defected. However, suspicions of a cover-up emerged, particularly from opposition parties, leading to a reinvestigation by prosecutors under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration in October 2022.

Prosecutors had accused Suh and Kim of orchestrating the release of a false press statement, making it appear as though the Coast Guard was still searching for Lee while simultaneously preparing and distributing materials that concluded he had voluntarily defected. The confirmation of their innocence marks a significant conclusion to a politically charged investigation.