'Seohaepigyeok' Seo Hoon and Park Ji-won Attend First Trial... Prosecution Says "Reminds Us of 'People First'"

Former National Security Office Chief Suh Hoon and other senior security officials of the Moon Jae-in administration, who were prosecuted on charges of attempting to cover up the shooting incident of late Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official Lee Dae-jun, appeared in court as defendants for the first trial on the 24th and denied the charges.

Former National Security Office Director Suh Hoon (left) and Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the morning of the day, the Criminal Division 25-2 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Park Jeong-je, Judges Ji Gwi-yeon and Park Jeong-gil) held the first trial for five defendants, including former Chief Suh, former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won, and former Minister of National Defense Suh Wook.

According to the obligation for defendants to appear in person at formal trials, all defendants must attend the court in person on each trial date.

On this day, former Minister Suh entered the courtroom without answering reporters’ questions such as “Do you admit the charges at the first trial?” and “Which parts will you contest?” During former Director Park’s attendance, Lee’s bereaved family and YouTubers protested and clung to him, causing a commotion that was restrained by security personnel. Former Chief Suh is undergoing trial while in custody.

The court proceeded with the preliminary procedure of hearing the prosecution’s reasons and confirming the defendants’ positions on them.

The prosecution stated, “This case involves a victim. Lee was an ordinary man in his 40s and a family man,” adding, “Despite reports that Lee was found, the government at the time took no measures for rescue. The government, which has the duty to save its people, neglected its responsibility, resulting in Lee being shot and killed by North Korean soldiers. It is a scene that reminds us of the phrase ‘People first.’”

In particular, when inter-Korean relations deteriorated in June 2020 after North Korea cut communication lines and blew up the inter-Korean liaison office, the Moon Jae-in administration tried to resolve the situation by portraying Lee as a ‘voluntary defector to the North’ and waged a public opinion campaign. On September 22 of the same year, about four hours after Lee was killed, former President Moon delivered a video speech at the United Nations General Assembly urging ‘inter-Korean reconciliation and a declaration to end the war.’

On the other hand, former Chief Suh’s side denied the charges, stating, “After the shooting incident, we never had any intention to cover it up, and it is difficult to agree with the claim that we fabricated facts to portray Lee as having defected to the North.” Other defendants, including former Director Park, have also denied the charges.

Former Chief Suh was prosecuted on charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights for allegedly instructing Joint Chiefs of Staff officials and former Coast Guard Commissioner Kim Hong-hee to “maintain confidentiality” at a related ministers’ meeting around 1 a.m. the day after Lee was killed by North Korean soldiers.

Former Commissioner Kim is charged with creating and using false official documents by distributing false materials related to the possibility of Lee’s defection to the North in accordance with this instruction. Former Director Park, former National Intelligence Service Secretary-General Noh Eun-chae, and former Minister Suh were also indicted on charges of deleting related documents by employees in agreement with the “confidentiality” policy.

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