Prosecutors sought a four-year prison term for former presidential Office of National Security chief Suh Hoon, who was indicted in the case of the "cover-up of the truth about the killing of a public official in the West Sea." Prosecutors also sought three years each for former Ministry of National Defense Minister Suh Wook and former Korea Coast Guard Commissioner Kim Hong-hee, and two years in prison and two years of disqualification for Park Gee-won, former National Intelligence Service (NIS) director. The first-instance verdict is scheduled to be delivered at 2 p.m. on Dec. 26.
The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Agreement Division 25 (presiding judge Jee Kui-youn) on the 5th held the closing arguments in the first trial for five members of Moon Jae-in's security line, including former chief Suh and former director Park, who were indicted on charges including abuse of power and obstruction of another's rights. The closing arguments were held nearly three years after prosecutors indicted them in Dec. 2022.
Prosecutors said, "The defendants, as high-ranking public officials, abused state authority to hide their mistakes and deleted official electronic records, then disguised a citizen who was shot and whose body was burned after the attack as a defector to the North," and added, "It is a serious crime that deceived the public and socially buried the bereaved family."
In seeking a four-year prison term for the former chief Suh, prosecutors said, "As the highest decision-maker in this case, the culpability is the heaviest, yet he denies the charges and shows no remorse."
Prosecutors sought three years in prison each for former Ministry of National Defense Minister Suh Wook and former Korea Coast Guard Commissioner Kim Hong-hee. Regarding former Minister Suh, prosecutors said, "While in a position to command and supervise the military, he actively joined Suh Hoon in this case, had those in charge delete intelligence reports, and engaged in conduct that violated the law." Regarding former Commissioner Kim, prosecutors said, "Even though he had a duty to investigate as the head of the Korea Coast Guard, he failed to fulfill that duty and prepared and distributed a false press release, thereby damaging the honor of the bereaved family and causing secondary harm."
Prosecutors sought two years in prison and two years of disqualification for Park Gee-won, former National Intelligence Service (NIS) director. Prosecutors said, "By directing the person in charge to delete intelligence reports and taking such measures, he caused a result tantamount to paralysis of state functions." Prosecutors sought one year in prison and one year of disqualification for Noh Eun-chae, former chief of staff to the NIS director. Prosecutors said, "By carrying out orders, including deleting intelligence reports under the NIS director's instruction, the culpability is heavy."
They were brought to trial on charges including ordering the deletion of related intelligence or reports to conceal the fact that, in Sept. 2020 in the West Sea, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official Lee Dae-jun was shot dead by North Korean soldiers and his body was burned. The trial proceeded behind closed doors, including witness examinations, due to state secrets and other reasons. The closing arguments that day were open to the public.
In court that day, the late Lee Dae-jun's older brother, Lee Rae-jin, said, "While tremendous fabrication and murder were taking place, the state, the security line, and the investigative line did not protect the people, and the fact that they watched the process of murder committed by North Korea shows a serious error as public officials."