The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Actor Song Joong-ki still hungry for new movie roles

  • 3

    S. Korea flexes military might in rare parade with US in central Seoul

  • 5

    Seoul Welcome Week to return for first time since pandemic

  • 7

    S. Korea-US alliance will end NK regime in event of nuclear weapons use, Yoon says

  • 9

    Chuseok exodus begins ahead of extended 6-day holiday

  • 11

    INTERVIEWWellington mayor's love for Korean culture spurs collaboration

  • 13

    INTERVIEWONEUS returns as 'mermaid prince'

  • 15

    Rwandan artists bring diversity to Seoul's art scene

  • 17

    BOK warns of worsening household debt situation

  • 19

    Opposition leader Lee attends arrest warrant hearing at Seoul court

  • 2

    Korea has world's highest senior poverty rate: data

  • 4

    Gov't to boost Korean language education for multiethnic students

  • 6

    Hyundai Steel decides to form steel pipe unit

  • 8

    Korean tennis player Kwon Soon-woo embroiled in controversy after 2nd-round upset

  • 10

    Guide to Chuseok celebrations across Korea

  • 12

    Late Samsung chairman's love of animals helps change Korea's pet culture

  • 14

    For closer business ties between Korea, Vietnam

  • 16

    Court rejects arrest warrant for opposition leader Lee over corruption charges

  • 18

    Over 100 money changers face suspensions, fines, criminal charges

  • 20

    S. Korea shows off 'high-power' missiles for armed forces founding anniversary

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
North Korea
Thu, September 28, 2023 | 10:10
Family calls for UN probe into North Korea's killing of South Korean official
Posted : 2020-10-06 17:14
Updated : 2020-10-07 07:39
Jung Da-min
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Lee Rae-jin, center, the elder brother of the South Korean official who was shot dead by North Korean troops after floating into the North's territorial waters late last month, holds a letter requesting the United Nations investigate the case, before delivering it to the United Nations Human Rights Office in Seoul, Tuesday. Rep. Ha Tae-keung, right, and Rep. Tae Yong-ho of the main opposition People Power Party accompanied Lee. Yonhap
Lee Rae-jin, center, the elder brother of the South Korean official who was shot dead by North Korean troops after floating into the North's territorial waters late last month, holds a letter requesting the United Nations investigate the case, before delivering it to the United Nations Human Rights Office in Seoul, Tuesday. Rep. Ha Tae-keung, right, and Rep. Tae Yong-ho of the main opposition People Power Party accompanied Lee. Yonhap

By Jung Da-min

The family of a South Korean official who was shot dead by North Korean troops last month has asked the United Nations to look into the controversial incident.

Lee Rae-jin, the elder brother of the slain maritime official, delivered a written request for the probe to Tomas Ojea Quintana, a U.N. special rapporteur on the human rights situation in North Korea, at the U.N. Human Rights Office in Seoul Tuesday. Lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) ― Reps. Tae Yong-ho and Ha Tae-keung ― accompanied Lee.

The request comes as the South and the North gave different accounts detailing why the official floated into the North's waters and the circumstances of his killing. The family has also claimed the South Korean government was attempting to distort the truth by claiming the victim was trying to defect to the North, saying there was no reason for him to defect and leave his family, including his young children.

"I, Lee Rae-jin, would like to inform the international community about the brutal murder of my younger brother Lee Dae-jun, an unarmed civilian, by North Korean troops," read the request, according to the elder brother. "I would like to request a fair and objective investigation."

Quintana, representing the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), received the letter. Late last month, Quintana called on the North Korean authorities to reveal all relevant information and to compensate the family of the victim.

'My brother is not a defector': Brother of official killed by N. Koreans tells his side of story [VIDEO]
'My brother is not a defector': Brother of official killed by N. Koreans tells his side of story [VIDEO]
2020-09-29 21:33  |  People

"I am delivering this letter of request for the U.N. investigation to the OHCHR's Seoul office, as Quintana said the OHCHR needs to receive an official request from the bereaved family members of the victim to launch an investigation into the case," Lee Rae-jin told The Korea Times.

Lee and the lawmakers said the family might file a lawsuit against the North Korean regime like that filed by the family of Otto Warmbier, a U.S. student who died after he was returned home in a coma after 17 months of detention in the North.

Rep. Ha said he would thoroughly investigate to prove that the government neglected its constitutional duty to protect its people.

"The government violated its obligation required by the Constitution to protect the people. The government's search operations for the oceans and fisheries ministry official were carried out in a poor way," Ha wrote on Facebook. "The government should have notified the North about the missing South Korean government official off the western coast near the Northern Limit Line to ask for the North's cooperation. But no such measures were taken at the time according to the defense ministry and the Coast Guard."

Along with the letter of request for the U.N. probe, the opposition lawmakers and the brother also revealed a letter written by the victim's son to President Moon Jae-in.

The 18-year-old son, who is living with his mother and an eight-year-old sister, said his father had no reason to defect to the North and the government failed to protect one of its citizens.

"I'd like to ask why my father had to go that far, what efforts the state was making to save my father and why it could not save him," he wrote. "He was a public servant of the Republic of Korea and a citizen who should be protected. He suffered in the cold waters for a long time and was killed and burned … I want to ask who is responsible for this situation where we can't even find his body, and what the state was doing when my father was killed brutally."

Regarding the letter, President Moon said he sympathizes with the teenager who lost his father and would like to send a message of comfort, according to presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok.

"The President said we need to wait for the results of the investigation and search operations by the Coast Guard," Kang said. "President Moon is also planning to write back to him."



Emaildamin.jung@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
miguel
wooribank
LG
Top 10 Stories
1Chuseok exodus begins ahead of extended 6-day holidayChuseok exodus begins ahead of extended 6-day holiday
2Guide to Chuseok celebrations across KoreaGuide to Chuseok celebrations across Korea
3Korea sees record-low births in July Korea sees record-low births in July
4Political battle intensifies after court rejects Lee's arrest warrantPolitical battle intensifies after court rejects Lee's arrest warrant
5DMZ Open Int'l Music Festival to be held in Goyang in November DMZ Open Int'l Music Festival to be held in Goyang in November
6Hyundai E&C to build upmarket apartment complex in Seoul's Gwanak District Hyundai E&C to build upmarket apartment complex in Seoul's Gwanak District
7Lotte focuses on health care, mobility to spur growth Lotte focuses on health care, mobility to spur growth
8Two Koreas trade barbs over nuclear war Two Koreas trade barbs over nuclear war
9Defense ministry launches project to find families of unidentified fallen Korean War soldiers Defense ministry launches project to find families of unidentified fallen Korean War soldiers
10Korea on track to prove esports prowess at Asian Games Korea on track to prove esports prowess at Asian Games
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] With '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting INTERVIEWWith '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting
2[INTERVIEW] ONEUS returns as 'mermaid prince' INTERVIEWONEUS returns as 'mermaid prince'
3Rwandan artists bring diversity to Seoul's art scene Rwandan artists bring diversity to Seoul's art scene
4Kep1er unveils 'Magic Hour' with fresh perspective on love Kep1er unveils 'Magic Hour' with fresh perspective on love
5K-pop group Kingdom recalls album cover resembling Quran K-pop group Kingdom recalls album cover resembling Quran
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group