South Korea demands Pyongyang further probe killing of official

Seoul said Saturday it will demand further investigation by Pyongyang into the killing of a South Korean official after a rare public apology from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, AFP reports. 

The fisheries official was shot dead by North Korean soldiers on Tuesday, the first such killing of a South Korean civilian in a decade.

In a surprise move, Kim said he was "very sorry" for the "unexpected and disgraceful event", but South Korea announced it would ask for further investigation.

"We have decided to demand the North carry out a further probe and request a joint investigation if necessary," the Blue House, South Korea's presidential office, said in a statement.

It added that South Korea's own investigation will continue because of "discrepancies" in the accounts of the shooting.

South Korean military officials say the man was interrogated while in the water for several hours and expressed a desire to defect, but was killed after an "order from superior authority".

They also said North Koreans poured oil over his body and burnt it, calling it an "outrageous act".

In contrast, Pyongyang said in a letter sent Friday -- which contained Kim's apology -- that the official had "illegally entered our waters" and refused to properly identify himself.

News.Az 

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