A South Korean ministry official who has been missing since Monday was shot dead by North Korea, the Defence Ministry in Seoul said on Thursday.
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Yonhap news agency cited a ministry statement as saying: “North Korea found the man in its waters and committed an act of brutality by shooting at him and burning his body, according to our military’s thorough analysis of diverse intelligence.
“Our military strongly condemns such a brutal act and strongly urges the North to provide an explanation and punish those responsible,
“We also sternly warn North Korea that all responsibilities for this incident lie with it.”
The 47-year-old man, an employee of South Korea’s Oceans and Fisheries Ministry, suddenly disappeared from a boat while on an inspection tour about 10 kilometres south of the North-South Korean sea border, the South Korean Defence Ministry previously said.
South Korea launched a search for him using ships and planes amid fears the current could have driven the man into North Korean waters.
Citing informants, Yonhap had reported on Wednesday that North Korea has recovered his body and cremated it as a measure against the potential spread of the novel coronavirus.