Prosecutors summon Suh Hoon, former director of the National Intelligence Service, for investigation into 'forced repatriation suspicion'

The Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office's 3rd Public Investigation Division (Chief Prosecutor Lee Jun-beom), who is investigating the case of the 'forced repatriation of North Korean fishermen from North Korea', summoned former National Intelligence Service Director Seo Hoon from the detention center for investigation.

Prosecutors are speeding up the investigation of the repatriation process to North Korea, which has arrested and indicted former director Seo on charges of covering up the 'West Sea attack case' and has entered the final phase of the investigation.

In November 2019, former director Seo is accused of prematurely ending the joint investigation by the NIS in the process of forcibly repatriating two North Korean fishermen who are believed to have killed 16 fellow sailors against their will to defect to North Korea.

The vessel they were on board was captured by the South Korean Navy on November 2, 2019.

The NIS delivered a report to the National Security Office on the same day that two fishermen expressed their intention to defect, but two days later, on November 4, the Blue House countermeasures meeting is known to have changed the mood of the government.

At the time, the government decided on the policy of forced repatriation to North Korea at this meeting and ordered the NIS to “deliver a joint investigation report to the Ministry of Unification,” and the NIS command deleted “expressing intention to defect and suggest compulsory investigation” from the joint investigation report and instead “delivered to the Grand Duke.” It was investigated that it was sent to the Ministry of Unification with a conclusion of 'no suspicion'.

Eventually, the two fishermen were repatriated to North Korea through Panmunjom on November 7.

The NIS previously conducted its own investigation and accused former director Seo of violating the National Intelligence Service Act (abuse of authority) and making false public documents.

Prosecutors plan to focus on investigating the details of the early termination of the joint investigation against former director Seo and the relationship between the directives.

Prosecutors also investigated former Blue House Chief of Staff Noh Young-min and former Unification Minister Kim Yeon-cheol in connection with this case.

When Seo's investigation is completed, it is expected that the 'upper', former National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, will also be investigated.

Government officials at the time, including former director Seo, are in the position that there is no problem with the decision to repatriate to North Korea.

At a press conference at the National Assembly in October of this year, they argued, "The government has decided not to accept them in order to maintain the social order of our people," and "any responsible official would have made this decision of course."