Prosecutors Clear Park Ji-won and Suh Hoon in 'West Sea Shooting Audit Noncompliance' Case Due to Lack of Evidence

Charged with Refusing to Comply with Board of Audit and Inspection’s Attendance Request
Case Closed Nearly Four Years After Family’s Complaint

Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won and former National Security Office Director Suh Hoon, who were accused of refusing to comply with the Board of Audit and Inspection’s request for attendance in connection with the ‘West Sea public official shooting incident,’ have been cleared by prosecutors.

Park Ji-won, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a press conference on May 4th at the National Assembly communication hall in Yeouido, Seoul, announcing his candidacy for the Speaker of the 22nd National Assembly's second half. 2026.5.4 Photo by Kim Hyun-min

According to the legal community on September 28, the Public Investigation Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office (headed by Chief Prosecutor Yoon Sujeong) recently dismissed the charges against former Director Park and former Director Suh, who had been accused of violating the Board of Audit and Inspection Act, due to insufficient evidence.

In September 2022, while auditing the West Sea shooting incident, the Board of Audit and Inspection requested both former Director Park, who was then the Director of the National Intelligence Service, and former Director Suh, then Director of the National Security Office, to appear for questioning. Both individuals declined to attend, stating that a prosecution investigation into the matter was already underway.

In October of the same year, Lee Rae-jin, the brother of the late public official Lee Dae-jun who was shot, filed a complaint against both former officials and former President Moon Jae-in, claiming they did not comply with the Board of Audit and Inspection's investigation. The prosecution determined that violations of the Board of Audit and Inspection Act are not subject to direct prosecutorial investigation and thus transferred the case to the police.

In August 2023, the police forwarded the cases of former Director Park and former Director Suh to the prosecution. However, the case involving former President Moon was subject only to a written inquiry and was deemed not to meet the criminal requirements under the Board of Audit and Inspection Act, so it was not referred for prosecution.

The prosecution subsequently conducted a supplementary investigation and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prove the charges against former Director Park and former Director Suh, therefore closing the case.

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