Prison sentences were sought against former security officials of the Moon Jae-in administration who are suspected of ordering the external disclosure of military operations in an effort to delay the deployment of THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, a high-altitude missile defense system) by U.S. forces stationed in South Korea.
According to NEWS1, Criminal Division 27 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Woo In-seong) held the final hearing on the 9th for former National Security Office Director Chung Eui-yong, former Minister of National Defense Chung Kyung-du, and former First Vice Director of the National Security Office Suh Ju-seok, who face charges including abuse of authority to obstruct the exercise of rights. The trial was conducted in closed session due to concerns that it could affect national security.
On this day, the prosecution office sought 10-month prison sentences for former Director Chung and former Minister Chung, respectively, and a two-year prison sentence for former First Vice Director Suh. The court decided to deliver its verdict at 2:10 p.m. on the 21st of next month.
Former First Vice Director Suh is charged with leaking operational information, including the transport of THAAD equipment and construction materials, on a total of eight occasions—twice while serving as Deputy Minister of National Defense and six times while serving as First Vice Director of the National Security Office—after promising to provide operational information one day in advance to anti-THAAD groups (charges of disclosing official secrets and abuse of authority to obstruct the exercise of rights).
He was also charged with unilaterally conducting negotiations with opposition groups regarding military operations, contrary to an order from the Minister of National Defense in April 2018, and subsequently ordering the withdrawal of troops from the ground forces that were carrying out the operations.
Former Director Chung and former Minister Chung are charged with abuse of authority to obstruct the exercise of rights for allegedly instructing the disclosure of military operation information classified as Military Secret Level 2 (replacement of missile and radar electronic units) to anti-THAAD groups in May 2020, resulting in its leak.
The Prosecution Service (now the prosecution office) began its investigation after receiving a request for investigation from the Board of Audit and Inspection in November 2024, and indicted them without detention last April.
This case was also included among the targets of the investigation under the so-called "Special Prosecutor Act on Manipulated Prosecutions," which passed the plenary session of the National Assembly on the 6th.
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