REPATRIATION CASE OF N. KOREANS

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Prosecutors are stepping up the investigation into the alleged deportation of North Korean fishermen. Former presidential chief of staff Noh Young-min was subpoenaed on Wed. as defendant. He's the highest-ranking official from the former Moon Jae-in administration to be summoned in the case.

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Back in August former presidential chief of staff Noh Young-min was interrogated at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office for over 12 hours after the PPP filed a complaint against him. Noh is accused of repatriating two North Korean defectors who allegedly murdered 16 fellow fishermen in November 2019 despite their wish to defect to the South. Prosecutors are looking into the charges of power abuse, illegal arrest and confinement, as well as dereliction of duty. At the time it usually took the government five days to deport defected North Korean fishermen after detaining them. Prosecutors believe that in this case deportation was too hasty, and Noh's illegitimate meddling was behind it. The North Koreans detained in the East Sea expressed their wish to defect when they were being investigated by the NIS. But two days later a decision to deport them was reached at a CheongWaDae meeting presided by Noh. The parts saying "wish to defect" and "compulsory investigation suggested" were allegedly erased from an NIS report drafted after the meeting. Prosecutors raided the presidential archives and analyzed documents related to the decisions reached at the time. They have also subpoenaed former Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul, former Unification Vice Minister Suh Ho, and former National Security Office First Vice Director Kim Yu-geun. They also plan to summon former National Security Office Director Chung Eui-yong and former NIS chief Suh Hoon. After interrogation, Noh said the lives and safety of the South Korean people are the top priorities and using national security for political retaliation will eventually backfire.