US Anti-missile Defense System Secrets Leaked to Civic Groups and Chinese Officials

The Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) has uncovered evidence that high-ranking officials from the Moon Jae In administration, including former National Security Advisor Chung Eui Yong, leaked classified information about THAAD missile replacements and associated U.S.-South Korea military operations to civic groups and Chinese officials. The evidence was sourced from the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office for investigation last month.

According to sources related to the case, the BAI accused Chung, former Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong Doo, and two others of violating the Military Secret Protection Act and abusing their authority on Tuesday.

The officials disclosed details of U.S.-South Korea military operations—classified as a second-level military secret—to civic groups to delay THAAD’s formal deployment in South Korea. The BAI suspects the leak contributed to the clashes between residents and police on May 29, 2020.

The investigation also revealed that the officials provided detailed briefings about operations to the defense attaché at the Chinese Embassy in South Korea, including the mission name, timing, and operational procedures. The BAI determined that these disclosures exceeded standard diplomatic communication protocols and constituted a breach of military secrets.

The audit was initiated in July following a request from the Korea Defense Reserve Generals Association, a group of retired military leaders. They had alleged that the Moon administration deliberately delayed the full operationalization of the THAAD base, employing tactics such as postponing environmental impact assessments and withholding information on electromagnetic and low-frequency noise levels. The BAI began its investigation in late October, targeting eleven government entities from the Moon administration, including the National Security Office and the Blue House. A full audit report is expected to be released next year.