hankyoreh

The vessel used by a South Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official before he was killed by North Korean military is seen anchored along the shores of Lesser Yeonpyeong Island in Incheon’s Ongjin County on Sept. 24. (Yonhap News)

The Blue House and administration sternly criticized North Korea on Sept. 24 for the fatal shooting of a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) official and the burning of his body, which it described as an “inhumane act that cannot be justified with any reasons.” President Moon Jae-in said he was “deeply dismayed by this shocking incident” and called for a response and measures from North Korean authorities. With reports that the incident occurred at the orders of the highest official in North Korea’s navy, the shooting appears very likely to have been an intentional act by North Korean military authorities rather than a heat-of-the-moment occurrence.

This unprecedented incident involving the fatal shooting of a South Korean civilian by the North Korean military, which then burned his body, has the Moon Jae-in administration facing the biggest crisis in its Korean Peninsula peace process to date.

Speaking at a briefing on National Security Council (NSC) findings that day, the council’s secretary-general Seo Ju-seok said, “We offer our profound condolences for the incident that occurred on Sept. 21, in which a missing fisheries official was killed by the North Korean military near Yeonpyeong Island.”

“The North Korean military’s fatal shooting and desecration of the body of a South Korean citizen who carried no weapons and showed no intent of resistance is an inhumane act that cannot be justified with any reason,” he added.

“The government strongly condemns the actions of the North Korean military, which are in violation of international norms and humanitarian principles,” he continued, insisting that North Korea should “apologize for this inhumane act and take clear measures to ensure that nothing like this happens again.”

“While North Korea’s actions did not violate the specific terms of the Sept. 19 Comprehensive Military Agreement [of 2018], they violated the spirit of the agreement and its aims of reducing military tensions and building trust in border regions,” he said.

Upon receiving a report on the NSC’s findings from Blue House Chief of Staff Noh Young-min and National Security Office Director Suh Hoon that afternoon, Moon said he was “deeply dismayed by this shocking incident,” stressing that it “cannot b e tolerated for any reason” and that North Korean authorities should “provide a responsible answer and measures,” Blue House Spokesperson Kang Min-seok reported. The National Assembly’s defense committee unanimously approved a resolution the same day condemning the atrocity by North Korea.

Previously, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced that the official in question -- a 47-year-old maritime and fisheries secretary with the West Sea fisheries management team who had been working on an inspection vessel 1.2 miles south of Lesser Yeonpyeong Island when he disappeared around midday on Sept. 21 -- was fatally shot around 10 pm on Sept. 22 by the North Korean military, which proceeded to burn his body.

“Based on a careful analysis of various intelligence, we confirmed that North Korea committed the atrocity of shooting the South Korean citizen found in their territorial waters and burning his body,” the MND said.

After the closed-door report by the MND that day, multiple lawmakers affiliated with the National Defense Committee reported the South Korean military as saying it believed the shooting was ordered by the commander of the North Korean navy. The position of naval commander, which is the highest figure of authority in the North Korean navy, is currently held by People’s Army Adm. Kim Myong-sik.

The incident represents a major crisis for the Moon administration’s vision of a Korean Peninsula peace process. In a UN General Assembly speech by video link the day before, Moon had declared his aims of improving inter-Korean relations and appealed for support from the international community.

“An end-of-war declaration would open the door to a permanent peace regime, along with denuclearization, on the Korean Peninsula,” he declared in his speech.

The disaster that erupted just a day after his speech stands to severely sap the momentum behind the push to improve inter-Korean ties. The political opposition immediately came out with harsh criticisms of the administration’s North Korea policies as “fantasy.” Public opinion is likewise unfavorable. With inter-Korean relations already severely strained, sentiments among the South Korean public appear very likely to sour rapidly after the shock of the killing, which comes 12 years after the fatal shooting of a tourist at Mt. Kumgang in July 2008.

“A serious obstacle has arisen in terms of inter-Korean relations,” a senior ruling party official said, adding that “a chill appears unavoidable for some time.”

By Seong Yeon-cheol, Kim Ji-eun, Noh Ji-won, and Seo Young-ji, staff reporters

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]