The Defense Ministry reportedly believes that North Korea’s naval command, at the very least, was briefed on the killing of a South Korean official in western waters earlier this week.

Members of parliament's National Defense Committee said Friday that the Defense Ministry made the assessment in a confidential briefing the previous day. The ministry, however, said it’s hard to say who made the decision and ordered the killing. 

Head of the committee Min Hong-chul said in an interview with MBC Radio that they were briefed that the South Korean was shot from a North Korean patrol vessel. Also, the Defense Ministry believes the North's chain of naval command was involved.  

Min said the possibility cannot be ruled out that the shooting and incineration of the South Korean official’s body was reported to officials ranking higher than the naval command.