A civilian employee working in South Korea’s military intelligence command has been arrested on suspicion of leaking military secrets, according to the Defense Ministry. The employee, based at the Korea Defense Intelligence Command, is accused of divulging classified military information, although specific details of the allegations have not been disclosed due to an ongoing investigation.
Reports from local media suggest that the leaked information may pertain to South Korean spies operating in foreign countries, including their real identities and locations, and that this information might have been passed on to North Korea. The military court issued a warrant for the individual’s arrest, but the motive behind the alleged leaks remains unclear.
The Korea Defense Intelligence Command is responsible for gathering intelligence on North Korea and has a history of deploying agents to various countries, including China, to establish networks for information gathering. South Korea’s main intelligence agency is the National Intelligence Service.
According to Yonhap news agency, there are indications that the leaked data was intended for North Korea, with suspicions raised that the Chinese individual who received the information could have links to North Korea’s intelligence service. If sensitive military information has indeed made its way to North Korea, it could have serious repercussions on South Korea’s intelligence operations abroad and compromise the safety of its agents.
During a closed-door briefing for lawmakers, the Korea Defense Intelligence Command mentioned that officials deployed overseas have been recalled, and a travel ban has been imposed on other staff. Lawmakers were informed that the military’s counterespionage authorities will conduct an investigation into the arrested employee, a process expected to last several months.
The detained employee has denied the accusations, claiming that his laptop was compromised. However, the intelligence command clarified to lawmakers that the breach was not due to hacking. The Korean peninsula remains divided by the heavily fortified border since the Korean War, with tensions escalating in recent years due to provocative actions by North Korea and increased military exercises by South Korea and the U.S.
