Three former officials take Supreme Court appeal over 2019 North Korean fishermen deportation
Three ex-government officials have filed a petition with the Supreme Court to overturn a lower-court ruling that gave them suspended prison terms for sending two North Korean fishermen back to the North in 2019.
Chung Eui-yong, Suh Hoon and Kim Yeon-chul, who served in the administration of former President Moon Jae-in, have appealed to the Supreme Court after a Seoul High Court confirmed their convictions for forcibly returning two North Korean fishermen in 2019. The lower courts had found the trio guilty of breaching the victims' basic rights and handed them suspended prison terms—18 months for Chung and Suh, and one year for Kim.
The fishermen were seized near South Korea's eastern maritime border and were alleged to have killed 16 crew members before being sent back to North Korea, where defectors often face severe punishment. The appellate decision noted that the repatriation was ordered only two days after the capture, despite calls for careful consideration. By seeking the highest court's review, the former officials aim to reverse the penalties and set a precedent for future handling of similar cases.
Why it matters
The case tests South Korea's legal limits on forced repatriation and the accountability of senior officials.
In this story
