20-year prison sentence finalized for Defense Intelligence civilian employee who leaked black agent information to China

[The Financial News] A civilian employee of the military who leaked military secrets, including information on South Korean black agents, dozens of times to an individual believed to be a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for money has had a 20-year prison sentence finalized by the Supreme Court of Korea.
According to the legal community on the 20th, the Supreme Court Third Division (presiding justice: Justice Lee Heung-gu of the Supreme Court of Korea) recently upheld the lower court ruling that sentenced former civilian military employee Cheon to 20 years in prison, a fine of 1 billion won, and forfeiture of 162.05 million won on charges including general aiding the enemy under the Military Criminal Act of the Republic of Korea.
Cheon was indicted and taken into custody in August 2024 on charges of having been recruited around 2017 by an individual believed to be a Chinese intelligence officer and, from 2019 onward, leaking numerous South Korean military secrets. In April 2017, he was arrested and questioned by the Chinese side in Yanji, China, during which he was approached with a recruitment proposal and began leaking information. Thereafter, he siphoned off a total of 30 items of material to the Chinese side, including 12 documents and 18 voice messages. In the process, Cheon demanded a total of 400 million won in money and valuables from the Chinese agent on 40 occasions and was found to have actually received 162.05 million won.
The Central District Military Court, acting as the court of first instance, found him guilty and sentenced him to 20 years in prison, a fine of 1.2 billion won, and forfeiture of 162.05 million won. The appellate court also upheld the guilty verdict. However, it ruled that part of the amount of the bribe demands had been double-counted, and while maintaining the 20-year prison term and 162.05 million won in forfeiture, it reduced the fine from 1.2 billion won to 1 billion won.
Cheon appealed to the Supreme Court of Korea, but the Court dismissed the appeal, stating, "In light of various circumstances such as the defendant’s age, character, and environment; the motive, means, and consequences of the crime; and the circumstances after the offense, it cannot be said that the lower court’s sentence of 20 years in prison and related penalties is grossly unjust."

hwlee@fnnews.com Lee Hwan-joo Reporter