Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon instructed the prosecution Tuesday to investigate the 2016 death of a farmer left comatose after being hit by a police water cannon during a protest rally a year earlier.

Lee also apologized for the death of Baek Nam-gi, saying the 68-year-old lost his life due to the "violent use" of police power and that the tragedy represents a "betrayal of the state's basic duties of protecting the lives of people."

Tuesday was the first anniversary of Baek's passing.

"The government has no excuse," Lee said during a Cabinet meeting. "On behalf of the government, I apologize to farmer Baek Nam-gi, his family and people for the mistake of the government."
 

Before his death, Baek had been in a coma for about 10 months after being struck by a police water cannon during a protest rally in central Seoul in November 2015. The incident happened when ousted former President Park Geun-hye was in office.

"The government will repent thoroughly of these wrongs and revamp the system and culture of using police force in order to prevent this mistake from repeating," Lee said.

"The prosecution should conduct a thorough investigation into farmer Baek Nam-gi's death and punish illegal acts according to strict legal procedures so as to leave a lesson for the future," he said.

Lee also instructed police to conduct its own investigation into the death and produce a white paper containing its findings so as to demonstrate its repentance and determination to prevent a recurrence. (Yonhap)