North Korea said the shooting death of a South Korean man in its waters last month was a self-defensive measure amid concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus, state media reported on Friday.

North Korean troops shot dead a South Korean fisheries official who went missing in late September, before dousing his body in oil and setting it on fire, South Korea's military have said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kim-jong-un-apologised-for-killing-of-south-korean-citizen-seoul-330111">Also read|&nbsp;Kim Jong Un apologised for killing of South Korean citizen: Seoul</a>

Seoul has called for a joint investigation after the North said it burned a floatation device he was using, not his body, amid public and political outrage.

The North's official KCNA news agency accused South Korean opposition lawmakers of stoking controversy over the issue, blaming Seoul for failing to stop him from crossing the maritime border into the North.

"Our soldier could not but take self-defensive measure as he judged that the South Korean citizen who had made an illegal intrusion into the waters ... under the control of our side was about to flee, not responding to interception," KCNA said.

The incident was "the result of improper control of the citizen by the south side in the sensitive hotspot at a time when there are tension and danger due to the vicious virus sweeping the whole of South Korea," it added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korean-president-calls-killing-of-official-by-north-korea-unpardonable-329950">Also read|&nbsp;South Korean president calls killing of official by North Korea 'unpardonable'</a>

"Therefore, the blame for the incident first rests with the south side."

South Korea's military has said the man was attempting to defect to the North when he was reported missing from a fisheries boat just south of the Northern Limit Line (NLL), a disputed demarcation of military control that acts as the de facto maritime boundary between the two Koreas.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare apology for the killing days after the incident, saying it was to prevent any coronavirus outbreak.

North Korea said the shooting death of a South Korean man in its waters last month was a self-defensive measure amid concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus, state media reported on Friday.

North Korea said the shooting death of a South Korean man in its waters last month was a self-defensive measure amid concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus, state media reported on Friday. North Korean troops shot dead a South Korean fisheries official who went missing in late September, before dousing his body in oil and setting it on fire, South Korea's military have said. Also read| Kim Jong Un apologised for killing of South Korean citizen: Seoul Seoul has called for a joint investigation after the North said it burned a floatation device he was using, not his body, amid public and political outrage. The North's official KCNA news agency accused South Korean opposition lawmakers of stoking controversy over the issue, blaming Seoul for failing to stop him from crossing the maritime border into the North. "Our soldier could not but take self-defensive measure as he judged that the South Korean citizen who had made an illegal intrusion into the waters ... under the control of our side was about to flee, not responding to interception," KCNA said. The incident was "the result of improper control of the citizen by the south side in the sensitive hotspot at a time when there are tension and danger due to the vicious virus sweeping the whole of South Korea," it added. Also read| South Korean president calls killing of official by North Korea 'unpardonable' "Therefore, the blame for the incident first rests with the south side." South Korea's military has said the man was attempting to defect to the North when he was reported missing from a fisheries boat just south of the Northern Limit Line (NLL), a disputed demarcation of military control that acts as the de facto maritime boundary between the two Koreas. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare apology for the killing days after the incident, saying it was to prevent any coronavirus outbreak.

North Korea says shooting death of South Korean man was self-defensive measure

Kim Jong-un apologised over the killing of South Korean in North Korean waters, Seoul's presidential office said on Friday. The North Korean leader described the incident a "disgraceful affair" and apologised "for disappointing President Moon and South Koreans", as reported by the Yonhap news agency.

Kim Jong-un says sorry to South Korea's President Moon Jae-in

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un apologised over the killing of a South Korean at sea, calling it an unexpected and disgraceful event.

North Korea apologises over South Korean citizen's killing