Which former South Korean officials appealed their convictions in the 2019 repatriation case, and what sentences did they receive?

Chung Eui-yong, Suh Hoon and Kim Yeon-chul appealed the appellate ruling to the Supreme Court. Chung and Suh were sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, and Kim to one year, suspended for two years.

Why did the Seoul High Court rule that the 2019 repatriation of the North Korean fishermen violated their rights?

The court ruled that forcibly sending the fishermen back to North Korea violated their basic rights. It noted that officials decided to repatriate them just two days after their capture, even though a government official had called for careful consideration.

What happened to the two North Korean fishermen before they were deported in 2019?

They were captured near the eastern maritime border and accused of killing 16 fellow crew members on their vessel. The government decided to repatriate them two days after their capture, and the deportation followed just days later.

3 ex-officials appeal to top court over 2019 deportation of N. Koreans

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Summary

Three former officials appealed to the Supreme Court on Tuesday after an appellate court sentenced them to suspended prison terms for forcibly repatriating two North Korean fishermen in 2019. The Seoul High Court upheld the guilty verdicts against former national security adviser Chung Eui-yong, former National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon and former Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul. The court ruled that the repatriation violated the fishermen’s basic rights and noted that the decision was made two days after their capture.

Key Facts

Chung and Suh received 18-month prison terms suspended for three years, while Kim received a one-year term suspended for two years.
The fishermen were captured near the eastern maritime border and had been accused of killing 16 fellow crew members.
The court said the deportation took place just days after the decision, despite a government official voicing the need for careful consideration.
People who attempt to defect from North Korea are often said to face severe punishment, ranging from torture to death, if caught or sent back.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 27, 2026 8:25 pm KST

From left, Chung Eui-yong, former national security adviser; former National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon; former presidential chief of staff Noh Young-min; and former Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul arrive at the Seoul High Court, Oct. 21. Yonhap

Three former government officials on Tuesday appealed an appellate ruling sentencing them to suspended prison terms for forcibly repatriating two North Korean fishermen in 2019, taking the case to the Supreme Court, sources said.

Last week, the Seoul High Court upheld a lower court's guilty verdicts for Chung Eui-yong, former national security adviser; former National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon; and former Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul.

All three served in former President Moon Jae-in's administration in November 2019, when Seoul deported two North Korean fishermen back to North Korea after they were captured near the eastern maritime border. The fishermen had been accused of killing 16 fellow crew members on their vessel.

A lower court found all three former officials guilty but deferred their sentencing.

The appellate court sentenced Chung and Suh to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, and Kim to a one-year prison term suspended for two years, ruling they violated the basic rights of the fishermen by repatriating them back to their communist homeland.

Those who attempt to defect from North Korea are often said to face severe punishment, ranging from torture to death, when they are caught or sent back to the North.

The court noted the decision to forcibly repatriate the fishermen was made just two days after their capture, while the deportation took place just days later despite a government official voicing the need for careful consideration.

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