Military: "Fisheries Guidance Officer Missing Near Soyeonpyeongdo, Signs Found in North Korean Waters"

Military Authorities to Take Measures Including Fact Verification with North Korea... "Under Detailed Analysis"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 21st, the Ministry of National Defense announced on the 23rd that a public official who had boarded a fisheries guidance vessel to crack down on fishing boats near Soyeonpyeongdo in the West Sea went missing. Circumstances indicating that the missing public official was found in North Korean waters have been detected, prompting military authorities to begin analysis.

The Ministry of National Defense stated that on the same day, a report was received by the Coast Guard that one crew member of a fisheries guidance vessel belonging to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries went missing at 12:51 PM on the 21st, 1.2 miles (2 km) south of Soyeonpyeongdo.

Just one day after the disappearance, on the 22nd, circumstances indicating that the missing public official was found in North Korean waters were detected, leading military authorities to conduct a detailed analysis.

The Ministry of National Defense explained, "On the afternoon of the 22nd, circumstances indicating that the missing person was found in North Korean waters were detected and are under detailed analysis," adding that they plan to take necessary measures including investigating the circumstances and route of disappearance and confirming related facts with the North Korean side.

The missing person has been identified as 47-year-old Mr. A, a marine fisheries officer belonging to the West Sea Fisheries Guidance Management Unit based in Mokpo, who was reportedly performing duties aboard the fisheries guidance vessel just before going missing.

According to military authorities, on the day of the disappearance, at 11:30 AM on the 21st, when Mr. A was not seen, the crew members who were on board searched inside the fisheries guidance vessel but only found a pair of shoes on the ship and could not find the missing person, leading them to report to the Coast Guard.

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