Prosecutors Seek Arrest Warrants for Former Defense Minister Seo Wook and Ex-Coast Guard Chief over 'West Sea Attack'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Public Investigation Division 1 (Chief Prosecutor Lee Hee-dong), which is investigating the 'West Sea Public Official Shooting Incident,' filed arrest warrants on the 18th for former Minister of National Defense Seo Wook and former Commissioner of the Korea Coast Guard Kim Hong-hee.

Former Minister Seo is accused of ordering the deletion of military secrets from the Military Integrated Information Processing System (MIMS) that contradicted the government's assessment that the late Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official Lee Dae-jun voluntarily defected to North Korea in September 2020.

According to the audit results announced by the Board of Audit and Inspection on the 13th, after the meeting of related ministers held on the morning of September 23, 2020, 60 military intelligence-related reports uploaded to MIMS were deleted under former Minister Seo's orders.

Former Commissioner Kim was the overall person responsible for the Coast Guard's investigation into the Lee incident. He is accused of announcing an investigation result that concluded voluntary defection by using unverified evidence in accordance with the Blue House National Security Office's policy.

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