'North Korean Shooting Victim' Official's Brother: "Coast Guard Should Disclose Testimonies of Fisheries Patrol Ship Colleagues"

Press Conference at the Korea Coast Guard on the 14th... "Please Conclude the Investigation Quickly"
"Crew Members Claim No Possibility of Defection to North Korea"... Information Disclosure Request to the Coast Guard

Lee Rae-jin, the brother of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official who went missing at sea near Soyeonpyeongdo in the West Sea and was shot by North Korean soldiers, held a press conference in front of the Korea Coast Guard on the 14th and revealed a letter he received from President Moon Jae-in.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] The family of A (47), a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official who went missing at sea near Soyeonpyeongdo in the West Sea and was shot dead by North Korean soldiers, has demanded the Coast Guard disclose information related to the investigation.

A’s (47) older brother, Lee Raejin (55), held a press conference on the afternoon of the 14th in front of the Coast Guard headquarters building in Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, and requested the Coast Guard to disclose the testimony statements of the nine colleagues who were on board the fishing guidance vessel "Mugunghwa 10" together with his brother.

Lee and his lawyer stated, "The crew members of Mugunghwa 10 testified during the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries investigation that there was no possibility of defection to the North. We are requesting information disclosure to compare this with the statements given to the Coast Guard," adding, "If the Coast Guard’s testimony statements are disclosed, it will be possible to determine whether the Coast Guard announced the defection despite knowing there was no possibility of it."

The family of A also expressed distrust in the Coast Guard, which is investigating whether he defected to the North, and urged a swift conclusion to the investigation.

Lee said, "The public confusion has only increased due to the incompetent and indecisive investigation authorities," adding, "My brother’s unjust death has tarnished his honor, and the heart-wrenching pain cannot be replaced by anyone."

He continued, "I have tried to reconstruct my brother’s death in my own way," saying, "My brother must have already drowned or been in a state of cardiac arrest during the time he was detained and dragged around at sea before being shot by North Korean soldiers. The 38 km announced by the authorities is over 20 nautical miles, so how could he have swum that distance holding onto a life jacket and floating debris?"

Lee added, "I trusted the Coast Guard, which prides itself on its ability to resolve maritime incidents, but after my brother’s shooting incident, seeing the Coast Guard’s wavering attitude makes it difficult to trust them any longer," and demanded, "Rather than hesitating, please make a cold, rational judgment of all circumstances and promptly conclude the investigation."

Meanwhile, the full text of a letter from President Moon Jae-in, which the family of A received on an A4 sheet, was also disclosed that day.

In the letter, President Moon stated, "I share the sentiment that the truth must be revealed so that those responsible can be held accountable, and if there has been any injustice, honor must naturally be restored," and promised, "I will personally ensure that all processes are conducted transparently and that the truth is uncovered."

This letter was a response to a handwritten letter sent to the president on the 8th by Lee’s son, asking, "Please restore my father’s honor so that our family can live without despair."

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