South Korean prosecutors have filed an appeal in part of a high-profile case linked to the 2020 killing of a South Korean civil servant by North Korean forces in the West Sea, according to court and prosecution records.
The appeal, submitted by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, applies to two of five defendants and focuses solely on defamation charges related to claims that the victim, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official Lee Dae-jun, had voluntarily defected to North Korea. Prosecutors did not appeal other charges connected to allegations that the previous Moon Jae-in administration concealed details surrounding the killing.
Lee Dae-jun was fatally shot by North Korean forces in September 2020 while at sea near the inter-Korean maritime boundary. The incident became the subject of a prolonged investigation and legal dispute, including allegations that government agencies improperly characterized the circumstances of his death and deleted official records.
According to the prosecution, more than 5,000 documents were deleted by the Ministry of National Defense and the National Intelligence Service shortly after the incident. During the first trial, testimony was presented suggesting that relevant information had been withheld. However, the Seoul Central District Court ruled that the evidence presented was insufficient and acquitted the defendants on most charges.
The prosecution initially considered appealing a broader range of acquittals but ultimately limited its appeal to the defamation counts. The decision was finalized on the final day of the appeal deadline, court filings show.
Following the first trial ruling, President Lee Jae-myung publicly criticized the prosecution, stating that the investigation involved fabricated allegations and concealed evidence. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok also urged prosecutors to withdraw their appeal, describing the indictment as unfounded. Legal experts note that public statements by senior officials regarding ongoing legal proceedings are uncommon.
The appeal decision has drawn additional attention due to the involvement of senior prosecutors. Park Cheol-woo, head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, has previously been linked to decisions not to pursue appeals in other major cases, including the Daejang-dong development investigation.
The case is unfolding as South Korea prepares to implement institutional reforms to its prosecutorial system. Beginning in October, the prosecution will be reorganized into a “public prosecution office” under a framework that separates investigative and prosecutorial functions. Under the new system, prosecutors will focus on indictments and maintaining charges, while investigative authority will be more limited.
The partial appeal ensures that the appellate court will review aspects of the case related to alleged defamation, while other acquitted charges will not be reconsidered unless new legal action is initiated. The timeline and scope of the appellate proceedings have not yet been announced.
