Moon Administration Security Line "No Order to Delete Information... Claim of Defection to North Korea, Though Criticized, Was Disclosed" (Comprehensive)

Noh Young-min, Park Ji-won, Seo Hoon Press Conference
"Should Not Be Framed as Crisis Management Crime"
"Using Inter-Korean Relations for Political Strife Is Self-Defeating"
No Regime-Level Benefit in Northward Defection Claims
"Northward Defection Claims Should Be Criticized as Military Security Failure but Were Publicized"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Naju-seok and Park Joon-yi] Key figures related to the West Sea public official shooting incident during the Moon Jae-in administration held a press conference on the 27th to refute the investigation results of the prosecution and the Board of Audit and Inspection, stating that "there was no instruction to delete or modify information." Former Presidential Chief of Staff Noh Young-min, former National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Park Ji-won, and former Presidential Security Office Director Seo Hoon completely denied allegations of fabricating the defection of the West Sea public official.

At the press conference held at the National Assembly regarding the West Sea public official shooting incident and the expulsion of heinous criminals, security officials from the Moon Jae-in administration presented rebuttals against the fabrication controversies.

Former Chief of Staff Noh said, "I understand this gathering was arranged as part of countermeasures due to concerns over the unilateral leaks by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration being reported as facts and seemingly becoming established facts again." He added, "The Blue House is not an institution that produces information. It is a place that receives produced information and intelligence. Reports by some media outlets claiming that the Blue House instructed information or intelligence-producing agencies to delete or modify information are completely untrue as far as I know."

He warned, "Turning even inter-Korean relations, which are fundamental to national interest in peace and security, into political retaliation against the previous administration will be self-defeating."

Former NIS Director Park stated, "I have never received any instruction from the Blue House Security Office to delete materials, nor have I ever ordered NIS staff to delete anything," and criticized, "The Yoon Seok-yeol administration is accusing us through NIS whistleblowing, Board of Audit and Inspection audits, and prosecution investigations that we deleted or attempted to delete materials that cannot be deleted."

He explained, "The NIS shares military intelligence, and even if the NIS deletes intelligence, it remains with the original producing department, the Ministry of National Defense. The Ministry of National Defense's self-produced reports remain on the NIS main server. I have never ordered deletion, but even if I had, the NIS is not so corrupt or foolish as to follow such orders."

Park added, "If the prosecution requests, I will confidently undergo investigation and definitely reveal the truth."

Former Security Office Director Seo said, "Even now, the shock from the West Sea shooting incident has not faded. Under urgent and limited conditions at the time, we did our best," and explained, "We never baselessly accused the victim of defecting to the North, nor do we have any reason or responsibility to do so." He continued, "The two individuals already detained (former Minister of National Defense Seo Wook and former Commissioner of the Korea Coast Guard Kim Hong-hoe) also did their best under the limited circumstances at the time. It is very regrettable that their lifelong dedication and honor to the country are being seriously damaged," and advised, "Procedural judgments for crisis management and security should not be judged as crimes."

During a Q&A session with reporters, Seo pointed out, "There are claims of fabrication regarding defection, but the government has no benefit or practical gain from such claims," and said, "The Minister of National Defense will regard it as a failure of vigilance for not preventing a defector, which is an important matter."

In their statement, they also said, "There was absolutely no reason or benefit to label the incident as a 'defection to the North,'" and "The act of shooting even civilians who 'defected' only highlights North Korea's brutality and irrationality." They added, "Just two months before this incident, due to a defection incident involving a North Korean defector on Ganghwado Island, the then Minister of National Defense and military commanders faced severe criticism and disciplinary actions," and "If a 'defection' had occurred on a fisheries guidance vessel performing the mission to prevent illegal crossings just three days after the new Minister of National Defense took office, wouldn't the government's burden have been even greater?" Although the issue of defection was disadvantageous to the regime at the time, "it was an important clue that could not be concealed, so it was disclosed as it was."

However, earlier, former Director Park mentioned in a radio interview whether the SI (Situation Intelligence) included references to defection, saying, "If we mention defection, it would benefit our Moon Jae-in government." This showed a difference in perception of 'defection' between former Director Seo and former Director Park.

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