PROBE RESULTS INTO OFFICIAL’S DEATH

[Anchor Lead]

The Board of Audit and Inspection has announced the results of its probe into the killing of a fisheries official in the West Sea. The BAI's report says the government agencies' conclusion that the official was trying to voluntarily return to North Korea was distorted, and that Cheong Wa Dae's national security office concealed the wrongful facts. The BAI has decided to request that prosecutors investigate 20 people including then-national security chief Suh Hoon and then-NIS director Park Ji-won.

[Pkg]

As the field audit into the death of a fisheries official in the West Sea wraps up on Friday, the Board of Audit and Inspection requested prosecutors to investigate 20 people from five organs. The charges applied include dereliction of duty, power abuse, and fabrication of public documents. The list of people subject to investigation includes then-Cheong Wa Dae national security office chief Suh Hoon, former NIS director Park Jie-won and former Defense chief Suh Wook. The BAI accused the National Security Office, the ministries of defense and unification, as well as the Coast Guard of not convening any meetings to discuss the situation or taking rescue measures even after being notified that the official was found dead in waters off North Korea. The probe results also show those in charge of crisis management failed to fulfill their duties. Suh Hoon got out of work even before the situation ended, while a senior Unification Ministry official left the office without reporting the matter to the minister. The BAI rebutted every reason for concluding that the slain official was trying to defect to North Korea. The probe results also show the Coast Guard distorted the results of a test raising the possibility of natural drift, and patched together the opinions of criminal psychologists. The BAI believes the government agencies unified their conclusion that the slain official attempted to defect despite the lack of evidence because the NSO instructed them to do so. It added the Defense Ministry later modified its announcement regarding the official's body's incineration by saying additional investigation was needed because then-President Moon Jae-in pointed out the announcement was too conclusive. The BAI concluded that the case was distorted and concealed by the government. The BAI planned to announce the interim results of its probe on Friday, but replaced it with a press release due to issues raised by some members of the audit committee and fierce opposition from the Democratic Party. The final results must be approved by the audit committee.