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🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

Lawmaker Claims USFK Commander Protested to Defense Minister Over NK Nuclear Remarks; Ministry Denies

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A South Korean lawmaker claimed the US Forces Korea commander protested to the Defense Minister over a remark about North Korean nuclear facilities.
  • The lawmaker alleged a serious breach of classified information and demanded an investigation, calling for the minister's resignation.
  • The Defense Ministry denied the claim, stating the USFK commander did not protest and that military-diplomatic communication is appropriate and adheres to information protection agreements.

As Hankyoreh, a leading voice in South Korean journalism, we report on a contentious claim made by a ruling party lawmaker regarding a supposed protest by the US Forces Korea (USFK) commander to our Defense Minister. Representative Sung Il-jong alleged that USFK Commander Gen. Paul LaCamera urgently met with Defense Minister Shin Won-sik to protest remarks made by Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho concerning North Korean nuclear facilities in Goseong.

The USFK commander urgently visited the Defense Minister and strongly protested.

· Rep. Sung Il-jongClaiming a protest occurred over remarks about North Korean nuclear facilities.

Sung further claimed that the head of the US Embassy's intelligence section also lodged a strong protest with the National Intelligence Service (NIS). He presented these assertions as information he had "grasped as the chairman of the National Defense Committee," demanding that the Defense Ministry and NIS immediately clarify whether these claims are true. If true, Sung declared it a "serious breach of classified information" and called for Minister Shin's resignation, criticizing the President for allegedly shielding the minister.

However, the Ministry of National Defense swiftly refuted these allegations. In a statement, the ministry declared that the claim of the USFK commander protesting to the Defense Minister is "inappropriate in terms of US-ROK military diplomacy and is not true at all." They emphasized that the US and South Korea maintain frequent communication on major issues and strictly adhere to the Security of Military Information Agreement (SMI A).

The USFK commander protesting to the Defense Minister is inappropriate in terms of ROK-US military diplomacy and is not true at all.

· Ministry of National DefenseDenying the lawmaker's claims about a protest.

This incident underscores the delicate nature of inter-Korean relations and the complex security dynamics involving the US and South Korea. While the Defense Ministry denies the protest, the lawmaker's claims highlight potential sensitivities surrounding intelligence sharing and public statements about North Korea's nuclear capabilities. Hankyoreh will continue to follow this story, seeking clarity on the facts and the implications for ROK-US alliance cooperation and national security.

ROK and the US maintain frequent communication on major issues and strictly adhere to the Security of Military Information Agreement.

· Ministry of National DefenseReassuring about the strength of military-diplomatic ties and information security.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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