SEOUL-- The family of a South Korean government official killed by North Korea in 2020 filed a lawsuit Wednesday with the aim of unsealing classified documents of former President Moon Jae-in related to the death.

Earlier, the Presidential Archives rejected the request by the family of the late fisheries official, Lee Dae-jin, to look into sealed documents to determine why the Moon government announced he was shot and killed while attempting to defect to the North.

Lee was killed by North Korea's military near the western sea border on Sept. 22, 2020.

The official's brother, Lee Rae-jin, and his lawyers launched the litigation against the agency with the Seoul Administrative Court, demanding its earlier decision be revoked.

"(We) demand the Presidential Archives be unsealed to know what the government and the president did during the six hours of time referred to as the presidential time," Lee told reporters.

Documents, designated by presidents, are sealed for up to 30 years from the end of presidencies, with a legal exception for their disclosure if they are considered vital evidence in an investigation. The documents can be opened upon parliamentary approval from two-thirds of lawmakers or a warrant issued by a high court in the jurisdiction.

After President Yoon Suk-yeol took office in May, the Coast Guard and the defense ministry revisited the case and overturned their previous conclusion on the alleged defection attempt of Lee.

Source: Yonhap News Agency