Seoul: A two-star South Korean general was
charged Tuesday with leaking secrets to North Korea, including
the South`s war plan in case of attack, military officials
said.
The secrets include a contingency plan prepared by US and
South Korean troops in case of war with the North, the defence
ministry said in a statement.
The major-general, identified only as Kim, was detained
last month. He allegedly gave the classified information to an
agent in return for around USD 21,500.
But Kim, 58, would not face spying charges because he did
not know that the military secrets would be passed on to the
North, the ministry said.
The agent, a former South Korean spy identified only as
Park, was recruited by North Korea while living in China in
the 1990s.
The ministry said Park had been charged with espionage
for handing military secrets including the war plan to a North
Korean spy in China in return for an unspecified payment.
Espionage is theoretically punishable with a death
sentence.
The ministry said a third man from a South Korean defence
firm was charged with collecting classified information for
Park.
It said the case "revealed the lack of a security
mindset" against North Korea and security education for
military officers would be strengthened.
The South periodically detains people accused of spying
for its communist neighbour. The two nations have remained
technically at war since their 1950-53 conflict ended only in
an armistice.
A female North Korean spy was arrested and jailed for
five years in 2008. She had admitted having sex with a South
Korean army officer to secure secret information.
PTI
