Moon: "Heart aches for son of 'North Korea shot official'" Opposition: "Empty consolation"

President Moon Responds to Letter from Son of North Korea-Shot Public Official
Brother of Deceased Official Submits Information Disclosure Request
Opposition Calls It "Empty Consolation Seeming to Urge Giving Up"

President Moon Jae-in is presiding over a Cabinet meeting at the Blue House on the morning of the 6th. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] President Moon Jae-in expressed on the 6th that "my heart also aches" regarding the handwritten letter from the son of Lee Mo (47), a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official who was shot dead by North Korean soldiers. The opposition party criticized President Moon for ignoring the son's plea.

On the same day, in response to Lee's letter, President Moon said, "The Coast Guard is investigating various circumstances. Let's wait for the Coast Guard's investigation and search results," and "I hope you endure the hardship with your mother and younger sibling, and I send my condolences," White House spokesperson Kang Min-seok stated during a briefing. The Blue House announced that President Moon plans to write a direct reply as soon as Lee's letter arrives at the Blue House.

This is the second time President Moon has offered condolences to the victim's family, following the Blue House senior secretaries and aides meeting on the 28th of last month. At that time, President Moon expressed his position, saying, "Regardless of the circumstances that led the victim to the North Korean waters, I offer my deep condolences and sympathy."

Kim Eun-hye, spokesperson for the People Power Party. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The opposition party unleashed harsh criticism against President Moon's response. Kim Eun-hye, spokesperson for the People Power Party, criticized in a statement that day, calling it "a hollow consolation that seems to urge giving up."

Regarding President Moon's mention of waiting for the Coast Guard's investigation results, Spokesperson Kim said, "The young student did not write a heartfelt letter to the President to hear such consolation. He turned his head away from the facts his son wants to hear," and raised her voice, "Is it appropriate consolation for the bereaved family plunged into despair to watch a meaningless search proceeding while being cautious of North Korea, which kills people and still boasts loudly?"

Earlier, Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, at the pre-hearing meeting of the National Assembly audit that day, asked, "Does President Moon think it makes sense that a father who did not professionally learn swimming went 39 km against the current?" and emphasized, "The President must disclose to the public when he was informed of this incident, what instructions he gave, and how he is currently understanding the situation."

The deceased official's son, Lee, previously appealed in an open letter to President Moon on the 5th to reveal the truth about his father's unjust death and restore his honor. Lee said, "I want to ask what this country was doing when my father was brutally killed and why they couldn't protect him," adding, "My little sibling who knows nothing, my mother, and I live in pain every day."

Regarding the claim of defection to the North, he pointed out, "I want to ask if you truly think it makes sense that my thin-built father went 38 km, against the current."

A government official ID card of Mr. Lee, a government worker who went missing near Soyeonpyeongdo in the northern West Sea and was shot dead by North Korea. Photo by Yonhap News

In this context, the Democratic Party of Korea decided to create a South-North joint response manual and promote a civilian protection agreement to prepare for incidents and accidents like the shooting death of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official by North Korea.

However, since North Korea is not responding to demands for a joint investigation to clarify the truth of the official's shooting death, there are criticisms that the joint response manual or agreement plan promoted by the Democratic Party lacks effectiveness.

Hwang Hee, chairman of the Democratic Party's "Special Committee on Joint Investigation and Prevention of Recurrence Related to the West Sea Official Shooting Incident," said in a phone interview with Yonhap News on the 6th, "We plan to prepare a response manual by reviewing the division of roles among domestic agencies and communication methods with North Korea."

The South-North joint response manual was created during the Roh Moo-hyun administration to prepare for civilian defections to the North or South and disaster situations in border areas but was discarded during the Lee Myung-bak administration. The intention is to restore the manual from that time.

Hwang said, "Furthermore, we plan to conclude an agreement between South and North Korea that includes the principle that civilians must be protected under any circumstances." The agreement is expected to include provisions to immediately notify the other country and safely repatriate civilians if drift victims occur in each country's territorial waters after confirming their civilian status.

Meanwhile, Lee Rae-jin, the elder brother of Lee, submitted an information disclosure request to the Ministry of National Defense, demanding the release of information related to the incident. On the afternoon of the same day, Lee visited the Ministry of National Defense's civil affairs office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, requesting the release of audio files of intercepted North Korean military conversations from 3:30 p.m. to 10:51 p.m. on the 22nd of last month, when the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official was shot, as well as video files showing North Korean soldiers mutilating the body from 10:11 p.m. to 10:51 p.m. on the same day.

In the request, Lee's side stated, "If the materials are disclosed, it will be possible to determine whether the deceased official expressed an intention to defect to the North and whether the Ministry of National Defense properly fulfilled its duty to protect the official's life," and requested, "Please allow the bereaved family to hear the deceased official's last voice and see his appearance." Lee's legal representative, lawyer Kim Ki-yoon, said, "If the Ministry of National Defense decides to keep the information confidential, we will file an administrative lawsuit against that decision."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.