It was revealed that classified information managed by the Korea Defense Intelligence Command (KDIC), including human intelligence (HUMINT) related to units like the Army’s Headquarters Intelligence Detachment (HID), may have been leaked to North Korea.
This breach has led to restrictions on the activities of domestic and international operatives, with some overseas agents reportedly halting their operations, according a report by the Maeil Business Newspaper, on July 26.
National Assembly member Kim Min-seok of the South Korea’s Democratic Party, who is a member of the National Defense Committee, disclosed that confidential information about intelligence unit members was recently transferred to North Korea, prompting a military investigation.
The Intelligence Command is responsible for collecting and managing military intelligence both abroad and in North Korea, with a particular focus on human intelligence.
According to the report, the military suspects that a civilian employee in charge of security, referred to as “A,” passed the information to North Korea and is concentrating efforts on proving the related charges. However, “A” claims the breach was due to North Korean hacking.
Transferring the identities of secret agents to a foreign entity is considered a serious crime equivalent to treason. The exposure of key intelligence operatives’ identities undermines the structure of domestic intelligence agencies.
Regarding the report, a military official stated, “We cannot disclose the details as the investigation by the military authorities is ongoing.”
In South Korea, it is known that the National Intelligence Service oversees overall operations of overseas agents, while the Defense Intelligence Command often manages the practical aspects of secret operations.
Human intelligence networks are challenging to restore once compromised. This incident is not the first of its kind; in 2018, the prosecution arrested two former Defense Intelligence Command operatives, surnamed Hwang and Hong, for selling military secrets. They had sold lists of overseas agents to two foreign intelligence agencies.
The prosecution’s investigation revealed that Hwang, who served as a team leader in the Intelligence Command, extracted over 100 military secrets stored in his unit between 2013 and several subsequent years by photographing them with his phone. He then sold them to Hong, a former team leader, for money.
Meanwhile, Choi Young-gi, a lawyer from Seungjeon Law Firm and a graduate of the Korea Military Academy, told the Maeil Business Newspaper, “If it is proven that the classified materials were handed over to North Korea, it would violate the National Security Act. Even if not, the personal information of intelligence unit members is classified as top-secret, violating the Military Secrets Protection Act with a minimum sentence of 10 years. The punishment could be harsher if financial gain was involved.”
Recently, military secret leaks have resulted in severe penalties. Last year, an army captain received a 10-year prison sentence for selling personal information of frontline unit members, which was classified as second- and third-degree secrets. Another case involved a non-commissioned officer sentenced to five years for leaking specifications of future weapons to a defense contractor.
Attorney Choi commented, “The financial damage from such intelligence breaches could amount to billions of won (1 billion won is approximately $722,000). These acts are punishable by a minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment, potentially leading to record-breaking sentences.”
He added, “The military should arrest and investigate anyone detected with even slight suspicion through searches and seizures. If the hacking was confirmed to be by an enemy nation, disciplinary action against those involved is necessary.”
BY YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.youngnam@koreadaily.com]
