A military officer is under a probe by military prosecutors over accusations that he leaked sensitive defense information to China, a source said Tuesday.
The officer affiliated with the Defense Security Command allegedly handed over military intelligence information to a Chinese security agent, including intelligence on the latest activities of neighboring countries, which was filed by other military officers stationed abroad, the military source noted.
DSC is a counter-espionage agency tasked with safeguarding military security.
How sensitive the leaked materials are is still unknown, the source said.
“The military prosecution is investigating the lieutenant commander … but it is still to be determined whether the (leaked) materials are those of open-to-the-public levels or those of classified levels,” the source noted.
He also added the accused officer allegedly took financial benefits worth several thousands of dollars from the Chinese agent whom the officer befriended during his stay in China.
Still, the source denied a news report that the leaked materials included those on the U.S. moves to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery on the Korean Peninsula.
The military prosecution is reportedly planning to bring formal charges against the accused officer later this week, while one more DSC officer is facing a military probe over alleged involvement. (Yonhap)
