Army Sergeant Who 'Sold Out His Country' for 17 Million Won Leaks Secrets to Chinese Intelligence Organization; Four-Year Prison Sentence Finalized

[Financial News] An Army soldier who handed over key military secrets, including information on the Republic of Korea–United States combined military exercise, to a Chinese intelligence organization and received more than 17 million won has been sentenced to four years in prison.
According to legal sources on the 18th, the Second Division of the Supreme Court of Korea, presided over by Justice Park Young-jae, finalized last month the lower court ruling sentencing A to four years in prison, a fine of 20 million won, and forfeiture of 19.07 million won for aiding the enemy and divulging military secrets, among other charges.
A, who was an Army sergeant at the time, met a Chinese man in Beijing in August 2024 after connecting with him through social media and was offered money to "hand over confidential military documents."
After accepting the request from the man, who introduced himself as an official affiliated with a Chinese intelligence agency, A leaked military secrets seven times through February of the following year, including materials related to the Republic of Korea–United States combined military exercise, the United Nations Command (UNC), and South Korean military training conducted independently by the country. A received money and other benefits worth about 17 million won.
During the crime, A expressed reluctance, saying, "It is difficult to photograph classified information with an iPhone," and went so far as to use a wristwatch-style camera provided by the other party to photograph the secrets.
The military court of first instance sentenced A to five years in prison, but the Seoul High Court, the appellate court, reduced the sentence to four years in prison and a fine of 20 million won.
A argued at trial that "there was no intent to aid the enemy," but the claim was rejected.
The Supreme Court of Korea also dismissed the appeal, stating, "Although he well knew that, as an active-duty soldier, he must not disclose military secrets, he committed the crime in an organized and meticulous manner."
Meanwhile, A was also indicted on a separate prostitution charge, but was acquitted because the relevant evidence had been collected unlawfully beyond the scope of the search-and-seizure warrant for military secrets.
[email protected] Seong Min-seo Reporter