Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Meets with Families of Shot Public Official

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] Moon Seong-hyeok, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, met with the bereaved family of A (47), a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official who went missing at sea near Yeonpyeongdo and was shot and killed by North Korean soldiers, on the 9th.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries stated that Minister Moon met with the bereaved family around 4 p.m. in Busan on the same day, expressed his condolences regarding A's accident, and listened to the family's opinions and difficulties. In addition, he pledged not to neglect measures for the bereaved family within the possible scope, including psychological treatment support.

Previously, Minister Moon had conveyed his condolences twice to the bereaved family through letters and phone calls.

Minister Moon plans to conduct a comprehensive inspection and improvement of the working conditions, including the working environment and safety equipment, of the fisheries guidance vessels, which became an issue following this incident. At the Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Maritime Affairs Committee hearing held at the National Assembly the day before, Minister Moon announced that an internal investigation regarding matters related to duty shifts and CCTV would be conducted.

According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, A was on duty from midnight on the 20th of last month in the wheelhouse on the 3rd floor of the fisheries guidance vessel Mugunghwa 10. Around 1:35 a.m. on the 21st, during his duty hours, he told a colleague on duty with him that he was "doing paperwork on the 1st floor" and then disappeared. The Coast Guard is investigating the circumstances of A's disappearance, but it is reported that the investigation is facing difficulties due to CCTV malfunctions and other issues.

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