South Korea politics roiled by pair sent to North, likely killed

Bloomberg

South Korean prosecutors are investigating members of former President Moon Jae-in’s government over the 2019 forced repatriation of two North Koreans, whose return to face criminal charges and likely execution had been denounced by critics as a violation of human rights.
Current President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration this week released photos of the blindfolded and bound fishermen getting dragged across the border.
His office issued a statement saying their return to face charges of murdering their fellow crewman on a fishing boat was “a crime against humanity that violated both international law and the constitution.”
The rising tension between Yoon and Moon underscores the difficulties of former South Korean presidents, all of whom have either personally, or had relatives, face criminal investigations after leaving office.
The Moon administration has said the two fishermen were sent back after they confessed to murdering 16 on board the fishing boat and had no intention to defect. Critics contended at the time Moon’s government cut the probe into the matter short and sent the men back to keep in the good graces of North Korea as it was engaging in talks with former US President Donald Trump.
Moon has not commented on the investigation, and his Democratic Party said Yoon may be bringing attention to the incident from three years ago to boost support for his administration. Yoon’s approval rate fell to 37% in a Realmeter tracking poll this week, marking the first time since full democracy in 1987 that the number has fallen below 40% for a president two months after taking office.