Prosecutors Recharged After Chuseok Holiday... Imminent Summons for Those Involved in West Sea Shooting and Forced Repatriation

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] This week, following the Chuseok holiday, the prosecution is expected to summon and investigate high-ranking officials related to the 'West Sea Public Official Shooting' and 'Forced Repatriation of North Korean Fishermen' cases.

According to the legal community on the 12th, the departments under Deputy Chief Prosecutor Park Ki-dong of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, who are handling the two cases, did not conduct investigative work during the Chuseok holiday and took a break. It appears they judged that the investigations had progressed sufficiently as planned before the holiday. In fact, the prosecution reportedly secured significant materials by raiding places such as the Presidential Archives in connection with the two cases. A prosecution official stated, "Necessary investigations are being conducted well at the appropriate times."

After the holiday, the prosecution is expected to summon and investigate the higher-ups who were reported in connection with the cases. In particular, there is growing speculation that former National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Park Ji-won will be summoned soon. The prosecution also delivered the NIS's complaint to Park's side to guarantee the right to defense. Typically, the prosecution provides the accused with the complaint before the summons to inform them of the facts of the case.

Former Director Park was reported by the NIS for violating the National Intelligence Service Act (abuse of authority) and damaging official electronic records by ordering the unauthorized deletion of intelligence-related data when Lee Dae-jun, a late Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official, went missing on September 21, 2020, while conducting fishery guidance in the waters off Soyeonpyeong Island in the northern West Sea.

Regarding the forced repatriation, the prosecution is also reportedly planning to summon former Minister of Unification Kim Yeon-chul, former Blue House National Security Office Chief Chung Eui-yong, and former NIS Director Seo Hoon for questioning. Previously, former Minister of Unification Seo Ho was summoned and investigated by the prosecution on the 15th and 21st of last month.

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