The 3rd Department of Public Investigation of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, which is investigating the case of 'forcible repatriation of North Korean fishermen,' investigated former President Roh Young-min as the accused for 12 hours and 30 minutes.
Initially, the prosecution notified former Chief of Staff Roh of his attendance on the 16th, but as the schedule became known to the media, the investigation was carried out by rescheduling the date of the investigation to today.
Prosecutors have investigated allegations of Roh's involvement in forcibly returning two North Korean defectors, believed to have killed 16 fellow crew members, to North Korea in November 2019.
After the investigation, Roh said, "The lives and safety of our people come first, and the pursuit of peaceful unification and peaceful management of division are constitutional obligations." It will be my ax and the instep of my foot.”
Former Chief of Staff Roh, who presided over the Blue House countermeasures meeting in November 2019, when it is known that the policy of repatriation to North Korea was decided, was accused of abuse of power, illegal arrest and confinement, and neglect of duties by the People's Power National Security Disturbance Investigation TF in August.
The ship on which fishermen rode was seized by the Korean Navy on November 2, 2019.
The National Intelligence Service is said to have delivered a report to the National Security Office that two fishermen expressed their intention to defect on the same day.
However, after the meeting with former Chief of Staff Roh, the government's mood changed, and after the meeting, the policy of forced repatriation was decided, and the Ministry of Unification wrote the 'conclusion of no suspicion of anti-aircraft charges' instead of 'expression of intention to defect and suggestion of forced investigation' from the joint investigation report by the NIS command. It is the current government's conclusion that it was sent to
In the end, the two fishermen were repatriated to North Korea through Panmunjom, and the prosecution investigated the extent to which former Director General Roh was involved in this series of decisions and whether there were specific instructions from the 'superior'.