Former National Security Office Chief Chung Eui-yong has been indicted without detention on charges of leaking military operations-related secrets to anti-THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) groups in an effort to delay the formal deployment of THAAD during the Moon Jae-in administration. Former Deputy National Security Chief Seo Joo-seok and former Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyung-doo have also been indicted. This case follows the Board of Audit and Inspection's request for an investigation by the prosecution.
The public investigation unit 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, led by Director General Kim Tae-hoon, announced that they have indicted former Chief Chung for abuse of authority without detention, while indicting former Deputy Seo for leaking public secrets and abuse of authority, and former Minister Jeong for abuse of authority without detention.
According to the prosecution, former Chief Chung and former Minister Jeong are accused of instructing the head of the regional cooperation division at the Ministry of National Defense on May 29, 2020, to leak military secret information regarding 'strategic weapon transport operations' to anti-THAAD groups.
Former Deputy Seo is accused of instructing the head of the regional cooperation division at the Ministry of National Defense to leak 'military operation information' to anti-THAAD groups twice in April 2018, while also being charged with providing this information six times from August 2020 to April 2021 while serving as the first Deputy National Security Chief.
The anti-THAAD groups to which they allegedly leaked military operation information are said to be an organization formed by the integration of six groups, including 'The Federation of Korean Trade Unions (North Headquarters)', 'The National Council for the Peaceful Unification of Korea', and 'The Committee for the Promotion of the Federal Unification of Our Nation', which are recognized as anti-state entities by the Supreme Court. They were found to have produced in-depth analysis reports on THAAD-related information.
Furthermore, the anti-THAAD groups reportedly organized illegal gatherings after obtaining military operation information, mobilizing professional protesters along with trucks and agricultural machinery. As a result, the number of participants on the day of military operations surged fourfold, necessitating a police presence that was 49 times greater than usual.
However, the prosecution decided not to indict former Chief Chung and former Minister Jeong on the charges of leaking operational information to China, citing 'lack of evidence.' The prosecution stated that considering the diplomatic actions taken by the government against China and the economic retaliation from China due to the deployment of THAAD, it is difficult to see this as a leak of military secrets beyond the necessary military and diplomatic explanations.