Chief Director of Intelligence at Joint Chiefs of Staff Volunteers to Retire

On July 26, Lt. Gen. Park Seung-choon (Korea Military Academy, 27th term), Chief director of intelligence at Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff and who released a part of the communication with North Korea and telephone messages from North Korea during the North’s invasion of Northern Limit Line to the press, announced his desire to retire.

Nam Dae-youn, spokesman of Defense Ministry, said, “Park felt sorry and responsible that he had caused trouble to President Roh and the entire army,” during the day’s briefing.

Cho Young-gil, minister of National Defense, removed Park from the position and appointed Maj. Gen. Jung Yong-sup (Korea’s Third Military Academy, 2nd term), director of the Military Information Bureau, as a deputy.

The Defense Security Command concluded that although the information Park leaked to the press wasn’t confidential, he violated rules on announcing military information to the public.

The Ministry of National Defense planned to hold a personnel committee, led by Jung Soo-sung (First Army commander), to decide on disciplinary measures for Park based on the results of the investigation being conducted by the Defense Security Command. However, the committee wasn’t held because Park announced his intention to retire.

Park is expected to turn in his retirement application to the central personnel committee of the Ministry of National Defense soon, and he will be discharged after the prime minister and the president approve his application.

Ho-Won Choi bestiger@donga.com