Commissioner General of the Korea Coast Guard Kim Yong-jin delivers a memorial address at the funeral ceremony for the late Police Officer Lee Jae-seok, held at the Incheon Coast Guard Station in Seo-gu, Incheon, on the 15th. Yonhap News.

Commissioner General of the Korea Coast Guard Kim Yong-jin has offered his resignation following the death of Police Officer Lee Jae-seok, who lost his life while rescuing an elderly person stranded in a tidal flat.

In an official statement released to the media late on the afternoon of the 15th, Commissioner General Kim stated, "I feel a heavy sense of responsibility regarding the President's remarks concerning the death of the Coast Guard officer. I am offering my resignation to assist in uncovering the truth of this incident and to contribute to the transformation of the Coast Guard."

Commissioner General of the Korea Coast Guard Kim Yong-jin bows his head to the bereaved family during the funeral ceremony for the late Police Officer Lee Jae-seok, held at the Incheon Coast Guard Station in Seo-gu, Incheon, on the 15th. Yonhap News.

President Lee Jae-myung instructed earlier today that the incident be investigated strictly by an independent external agency rather than the Coast Guard.

Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong stated, "President Lee pointed out that testimonies from the deceased's colleagues suggested 'superiors were covering up the truth,' and issued the directive to ensure that the bereaved family and the colleagues do not suffer any injustice."

Officer Lee, who was stationed at the Yeongheung Substation of the Incheon Coast Guard, went missing around 3:30 a.m. on the 11th while rescuing a Chinese national in his 70s, identified as 'A', who was stranded in a tidal flat off Yeongheung Island, Ongjin-gun, Incheon. He was found in a state of cardiac arrest about six hours later and was transported to a hospital, but did not survive.

It was determined that while rescuing 'A', who had injured his foot, the water level rose to their waists. Officer Lee reportedly took off his own life jacket to give to the civilian and was escorting him toward the shore when the accident occurred.

Four colleagues who were on duty with Officer Lee on the day of the accident held a press conference at the funeral home, alleging, "We were ordered by the head of the Yeongheung Substation to remain silent about the incident because he wanted to make Officer Lee a 'hero'."

Colleagues of the late Officer Lee Jae-seok from the Incheon Coast Guard's Yeongheung Substation, who died while attempting to rescue an elderly person from a tidal flat alone, hold a press conference at a funeral home in Dong-gu, Incheon, on the morning of the 15th, ahead of the funeral procession. Yonhap News.

They claimed, "The substation chief told subordinates that if they saw the bereaved family, they should just 'shed tears, remain silent, and say nothing'."

The family of the deceased also supported these allegations of a "gag order," stating, "The Chief of the Incheon Coast Guard Station requested that we refrain from speaking to the media on the day of the accident."

Evidence has also emerged that the Coast Guard violated several regulations regarding Officer Lee’s line-of-duty death.

It was found that the substation not only failed to follow the internal regulation requiring two-person deployments but also granted staff more break time than permitted, all scheduled at the same time.

The portrait of the late Officer Lee Jae-seok and his funeral cortege depart the venue following his funeral ceremony, held at the Incheon Coast Guard Station in Seo-gu, Incheon, on the 15th. Yonhap News.

Although there were six duty officers at the substation at the time of the accident, four were on break, leaving only Officer Lee and the duty team leader on shift.

At approximately 2:07 a.m. on the 11th, during the others' break, Officer Lee was dispatched alone to the scene after a drone patrol operator reported that a person was sitting in the tidal flat. He went missing and ultimately died during the rescue attempt.

It was also determined that the Yeongheung Substation did not report the relevant information to its higher headquarters until 3:30 a.m., about 80 minutes after Officer Lee had arrived at the scene.

Yonhap News