[Insight & Opinion] Investigation into Repatriation of North Korean Fishermen: Trigger for Hate Politics

Intensifying Ideological Conflict Divides Public Opinion
Amid Economic Crisis, We Must Consider What Truly Matters

The Ministry of Unification has released a video of the 'repatriation of North Korean fishermen' incident. It showed two individuals struggling desperately to avoid returning to the North, only to be forcibly handed over by escort agents. Along with previously released photos, it has sparked outrage among many observers. Whether they were 'heinous criminals' who killed 16 people or not, the image of any human being forced to go to a place of death is sad and pitiful.

Perhaps representing that anger, the day after the Ministry of Unification released the photos, the Presidential Office declared the act as a “crime against humanity and inhumane crime,” and stated, “We will thoroughly investigate the truth of this incident to restore the universal values of freedom and human rights.”

On the very same day, the prosecution began a search and seizure operation targeting the National Intelligence Service and launched an investigation. When Jeong Ui-yong, former National Security Office chief under the Moon Jae-in administration, justified the legitimacy of the 'expulsion of heinous criminals,' Choi Young-beom, the chief public relations officer, held his first briefing since taking office and counterattacked by urging, “Cooperate sincerely with the investigation instead of political attacks.” Kwon Seong-dong, acting party leader of the People Power Party, also joined in, saying, “They blindly believed North Korea’s unilateral claims.” The response to this incident is being carried out in a coordinated manner at the regime level. Now, this incident has become a confrontation between the Moon Jae-in government and the Yoon Suk-yeol government, a clash between the new and old administrations.

The problem is that this issue is not simple enough to easily side with either party. It is true that multiple complex and controversial aspects are intertwined, making it difficult to judge solely by the code of 'anger against inhumanity.' Of course, even if they were heinous criminals, sending them back to the North hastily without due process such as a trial is subject to criticism as a violation of human rights. The principle of protecting human rights must be upheld even in the case of heinous criminals, and this applies equally to defectors.

However, when the matter goes beyond political criticism to the stage of holding those involved legally accountable, the story changes. There are differences in the interpretation of the constitution and laws, differing opinions on how far high-level political decisions in inter-Korean relations can be permitted, and complex issues such as the dilemma between 'repatriation diplomacy' and 'human rights,' which has been seen in various cases abroad. Therefore, intense debate is inevitable.

Thus, the investigation and punishment related to this incident are likely to lead to a situation where the public is divided and in conflict. At this time, it is unclear whether the Presidential Office’s decision to put this issue at the forefront stems from a sincere desire to restore the “universal values of freedom and human rights,” or if it is a tactical move to reverse the president’s declining approval ratings by rallying the conservative base.

What can be predicted, however, is that the endpoint of this dispute will inevitably become an ideological debate over North Korea policy, unrelated to the pressing economic crisis and the people’s livelihood. The intensification of ideological disputes that divide public opinion early in the administration is not beneficial for the Yoon Suk-yeol government either. If the intention was to rally the support base by leveraging North Korea issues, it would be a delusion detached from reality.

To reiterate, I agree that the hasty decision to repatriate at the time deserved criticism. However, for investigations and punishments against Moon Jae-in administration officials to proceed, they must be proven to have intentionally concealed and manipulated facts, thereby becoming perpetrators of the 'evil act' that unjustly sent defecting fishermen to their deaths.

The current ruling faction risks pulling the trigger on the 'demonization and hate politics' they so harshly criticized during the Moon Jae-in administration. Turning Moon administration figures into demons will hardly raise the Yoon Suk-yeol government’s approval ratings. If they want to punish them, it should be done with issues that have broad public consensus, not with matters that divide public opinion and cause conflict like this.

Attempting to rally only the anger of the 30% support base may result in being forever trapped within a narrow fence of their own camp. The public will surely ask: What is truly important right now?

Yu Chang-seon, Political Commentator

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