TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

South Korea demands Pyongyang further probe killing of official

  (Agence France-Presse)
Seoul
Sat, September 26, 2020 Published on Sep. 26, 2020 Published on 2020-09-26T12:50:45+07:00

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
South Korean soldiers patrol along a barbed wire fence Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea, on the South Korean island of Ganghwa on April 23, 2020. South Korean soldiers patrol along a barbed wire fence Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea, on the South Korean island of Ganghwa on April 23, 2020. (AFP/Ed Jones)

S

eoul said Saturday it will demand further investigation by Pyongyang into the killing of a South Korean official after a rare public apology from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The fisheries official was shot dead by North Korean soldiers on Tuesday, the first such killing of a South Korean civilian in a decade.

In a surprise move, Kim said he was "very sorry" for the "unexpected and disgraceful event", but South Korea announced it would ask for further investigation.

"We have decided to demand the North carry out a further probe and request a joint investigation if necessary," the Blue House, South Korea's presidential office, said in a statement.

It added that South Korea's own investigation will continue because of "discrepancies" in the accounts of the shooting.

South Korean military officials say the man was interrogated while in the water for several hours and expressed a desire to defect, but was killed after an "order from superior authority".

They also said North Koreans poured oil over his body and burnt it, calling it an "outrageous act".

In contrast, Pyongyang said in a letter sent Friday -- which contained Kim's apology -- that the official had "illegally entered our waters" and refused to properly identify himself.

It acknowledged that around 10 rounds were fired at the man, and that he was not visible after the shooting.

Troops then set the official's flotation device -- which was covered in blood -- on fire in accordance with North Korea's emergency coronavirus regulations, the letter added.

Apologies from North Korea -- let alone attributed to Kim personally -- are extremely unusual, and the message came with inter-Korean ties in a deep freeze, and nuclear negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington deadlocked.

There have been no North Korean media reports on the contents of the letter.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.