Professor, 2 officers suspected of leaking military secrets

Professor, 2 officers suspected of leaking military secrets. March. 06, 2012 04:41. ysh1005@donga.com verso@donga.com.

Prosecutors are seeking arrest warrants for a professor who formerly served as a lawmaker`s aide and two active military officers on the charge of leaking classified information by using their careers at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said Monday that it sought an arrest warrant for the professor, 47, who teaches at a university i Seoul. She allegedly colluded with the two officers to steal 18 items of military intelligence in violation of the Military Intelligence Protection Act. Military prosecutors also sought arrest warrants Monday for two active officers with the defense organization for their alleged roles in the leaking of military secrets.

When proving intelligence leaks, military investigators seek arrest warrants for active soldiers through military prosecutors but pursue an arrest warrant through public prosecutors for a civilian implicated in a case.

According to military prosecutors, a lieutenant major of the Army with the defense procurement agency’s finance information planning office and a lieutenant commander of the Navy are suspected of handing over military intelligence to the professor on several occasions since 2007.

A member of the now-defunct Uri Party, the professor was an aide to a lawmaker who served on the parliamentary defense committee before moving to the defense agency as a division director. While at the agency, she was reportedly the immediate supervisor of the two suspected officers.

A military investigative source said, “The two officers have denied the allegations against them, but since specific evidence of their criminal acts have been found, we decided to investigate.”

A raid and search at the professor`s office last month found 18 items of classified information, including a mid-term national defense plan containing the military’s combat capability reinforcement blueprint and a comprehensive strategic plan presenting long-term goals to boost national military prowess.

Military prosecutors also booked without physical detention another lieutenant major, and handed over to public prosecutors a case involving another lieutenant major who did not leak military intelligence. Because circumstantial evidence suggested the latter`s involvement, authorities want to peruse his bank account records.

Prosecutors and military investigators want to know if the professor smuggled out additional military secrets and if she provided classified information to defense contractors.