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| ▲ Former National Security Adviser Suh Hoon, former National Intelligence Service Director Park Jie-won and former Defense Minister Suh Wook (from L to R) arrive at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Dec. 26, 2025, for their trial on charges of involvement in an alleged cover-up of a fisheries official's death by North Korea in 2020. (Pool photo) (Yonhap) |
prosecutors-border killing ruling
Prosecutors appeal court ruling on cover-up of border killing by N. Korea
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors said Friday that they will appeal a court ruling that acquitted former top security officials for their involvement in the alleged cover-up of a border killing by North Korea.
Last week, former top security officials from former President Moon Jae-in's administration were acquitted on charges of involvement in the alleged cover-up of the 2020 murder of a South Korean fisheries official by North Korea.
The Seoul Central District Court found former National Security Adviser Suh Hoon, former National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Park Jie-won and former Defense Minister Suh-wook not guilty for allegedly trying to cover up the 2020 murder, citing lack of evidence.
Former Coast Guard Commissioner General Kim Hong-hee and former NIS chief secretary Noh Eun-chae were also acquitted.
The prosecutors said they will appeal the acquitted charges against Suh Hoon and Kim Hong-hee, but dropped appeals against Park Jie-won.
The case goes back to Sept. 22, 2020, when the fisheries official, Lee Dae-jun, was fatally shot by North Korean soldiers near the de facto maritime border in the Yellow Sea, a day after going missing while on board a fishery inspection ship. His body was burned by the North.
In 2019, the Moon Jae-in government sent back two North Korean fishermen captured near the eastern sea border despite their wish to defect to South Korea. The forced repatriation came after they confessed to killing 16 fellow crew members.
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