Northern Limit Line Incident Causes Rift Between Cheong Wa Dae and Defense Ministry

Cheong Wa Dae strongly warned the Ministry of National Defense (MND) over the incident involving messages of communications, which were made when a North Korean patrol boat crossed the Northern Limit Line (NLL), that were leaked to the press. Moreover, it appears that complications have been aroused between Cheong Wa Dae and Ministry of National Defense.

In a press interview at Cheong Wa Dae, Yoon Gwang-woong, presidential aide on national defense, said, “There are serious worries about the flow out of classified information. Our security team (National Security Council) has shared our worries with Jo Young-gil, minister of national defense, and the Ministry of National Defense will take separate procedures.”

Yoon also asked for help from the press by saying, “Several press reports are distorting the truth of the President’s orders, and disrupting opinions about the military. Since this can be considered defamation and debasement of the military, serene reports will be helpful to the military.”

Cheong Wa Dae is presuming that the MND is systematically manipulating the press by leaking classified information to it, even though they were ordered by President Roh to conduct a further investigation.

An official at Cheong Wa Dae said, “President Roh ordered the MND to investigate whether there was communication between the North and South when the crossing of the NLL happened, and what the communication was about. However, it seems that there’s a force trying to distort the President’s orders, and move the situation in another direction.”

Another official said, “Leaking confidential information can be seen as laxity of official discipline. If those acts are confirmed, they’ll be dealt with a severe reprimand.”

Meanwhile, it was found out by the MND’s investigation that the North Korean patrol boat had called with the correct code-name “Hallasan” eight times, and suspicions that the military attempted to hide the communications are arising.

Also, it was newly found out that the North Korean patrol boat had said that “a South Korean vessel has crossed the military demarcation line” during the communication.

Jung-Hun Kim Ho-Won Choi jnghn@donga.com bestiger@donga.com