Prosecutors Indict Jeong U-yong, Noh Young-min, Suh Hoon, and Kim Yeon-cheol for Forced Repatriation of Defector Fishermen

The prosecution investigating the 'Forced Repatriation of North Korean Fishermen Incident' has sent former National Security Office Chief Chung Eui-yong, former Presidential Chief of Staff Noh Young-min, former National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon, and former Minister of Unification Kim Yeon-chul, among other minister-level officials of the Moon Jae-in administration, to trial on the 28th.

The Public Investigation Division 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Lee Jun-beom) indicted them without detention on charges including abuse of authority under the National Intelligence Service Act.

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong is attending the Cabinet meeting held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

They are accused of ordering public officials of related agencies to perform duties not required of them to forcibly send back two North Korean fishermen, who were identified as having killed 16 fellow crew members in November 2019, despite their expressed intention to defect. They are also charged with obstructing the fishermen's right to be tried according to domestic laws and procedures.

Former Director Suh Hoon is also accused of preparing and distributing false reports (forgery and use of false official documents) by deleting the fishermen's defection requests from the Central Joint Intelligence Investigation Team's investigation report and recording the investigation as concluded even though it was still ongoing.

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