The family of a South Korean fisheries official killed by North Korea in 2020 said Friday his death was the most tragic event apparently caused by the state’s failure to protect the lives and safety of its citizens.

Lee Rae-jin, the elder brother of the late Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official named Lee Dae-jun, issued a statement denouncing the presidential office of former President Moon Jae-in and other government agencies for intentionally covering up the truth behind the death.

“It was the most tragic event in which the state violated its duty to protect the lives and safety of its citizens,” Lee said, responding to the state auditor’s announcement of its interim audit results on the case Thursday.

The 47-year-old fisheries official was fatally shot by the North’s military on Sept. 22, 2020, near the inter-Korean maritime border in the Yellow Sea, after going missing the previous day while on duty on board a fishery inspection boat. The Coast Guard and the defense ministry announced at the time he could have been attempting to defect to the North.

But the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) has concluded that the authorities appeared to have covered up facts suggesting Lee did not intend to defect to the North and asked the prosecution to investigate 20 people, including top security officials of the Moon government, on charges of abuse of power and creating false official documents.

“Considering the fact that (the late Lee) was wearing a life jacket and bandaged his arm, he may have lost his footing while on duty. Nevertheless, the National Intelligence Agency, the presidential National Security Office, the defense ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff may have intentionally concealed the truth,” the elder Lee said.

He said the prosecution should conduct a much stronger investigation into the alleged illegalities committed by government agencies and officials.

“Those responsible (for the fisheries official’s) death have to be punished strictly by the law, and there can be no tolerance for them,” Lee said.

Source: Yonhap News Agency