"THAAD Operation Information Leak": 10 Months Sought for Chung Eui-yong and Jung Kyung-doo, 2 Years for Seo Joo-seok

Suspected of Ordering Military Secrets to Be Shared with Anti-THAAD Groups
Alleged Transfer of Operational Information on Eight Occasions from 2018 to 2021
Also Included in Investigation Under the Special Counsel Act on Fabricated Indictments

Prison terms were sought for former foreign affairs and security officials in the Moon Jae-in Administration who were indicted on charges of ordering the leak of military operation information to delay the formal deployment of THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense).

Chung Eui-yong, former chief of the National Security Office at the Blue House. Yonhap News.

On Nov. 9, the Public Prosecution Office sought 10 months in prison each for Chung Eui-yong, former director of the National Security Office at the Blue House, and Jung Kyung-doo, former defense minister, at the final hearing in their trial on charges including abuse of authority and obstruction of another's exercise of rights. The hearing was held before the Seoul Central District Court's 27th Criminal Division, presided over by Judge Woo In-seong. Prosecutors also asked the court to sentence Seo Joo-seok, former first deputy director of the National Security Office, who was indicted along with them, to two years in prison.

Chung and the others were indicted without detention in April 2025 on suspicion of ordering Defense Ministry officials to provide military operation information to groups opposing THAAD. The investigation found that the recipients included organizations supporting North Korea, such as the South Korean headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Beomminryeon).

Chung and Jung are suspected of ordering the head of the Defense Ministry's regional cooperation team in May 2020 to disclose to anti-THAAD groups operational information on the delivery of THAAD interceptor missiles and radar electronic equipment units, classified as a military secret of Grade 2.

Seo is suspected of promising anti-THAAD groups that he would provide operational information a day in advance and of ordering the disclosure of information on operations, including the delivery of THAAD equipment and construction materials, on a total of eight occasions from 2018 to 2021.

Meanwhile, the case is also among those subject to investigation under the so-called Special Counsel Act on Fabricated Indictments, which passed the National Assembly on Nov. 6 to investigate allegations that the prosecution under the Yoon Suk Yeol Administration fabricated investigations and indictments.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.