Prosecution not to appeal partial acquittal of ex-officials in 2019 deportation of N. Koreans

SEOUL, Oct. 28 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors on Wednesday decided not to appeal the partial acquittals of three former government officials on charges related to the forced repatriation of two North Korean fishermen in 2019.

Earlier this month, 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. It also upheld the acquittal of former presidential chief of staff Noh Young-min, who had earlier been convicted over his involvement in the case.

The appellate court acquitted Chung, Suh and Kim of charges of preparing false public documents.

The Seoul High Prosecutors Office said it would not appeal the partial acquittals.

The prosecution said it made the decision based on the judgment that there is a low possibility of those acquittals being overturned.

However, it will appeal Noh's acquittal.

All four 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 crew members.

mlee@yna.co.kr
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