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Defense ministry deceived Moon on THAAD report

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By Kim Rahn

The Ministry of National Defense concealed the arrival of four additional launchers for a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in its policy report to the Moon Jae-in administration, Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday.

"The draft made by the ministry's working-level officials clearly stated six launchers had been brought in and four of them were being kept at a military base, but during a review by higher-level officials, this information was deleted," said Yoon Young-chan, senior secretary for public relations. "We concluded the omission was deliberate."

If true, this constitutes dereliction of duty by the ministry, considering Moon is the commander-in-chief of the nation's armed forces, and officials' possible disapproval of him as the country's new leader.

The previous day Cheong Wa Dae said it found out the U.S. military had brought in four additional launchers for the THAAD battery deployed here, in addition to the two already in operation, and that the ministry did not report this to the new government until recently.

The Park Geun-hye administration pushed ahead with the deployment, announcing earlier this year that two launchers, a radar system and other ancillary equipment were brought in.

After an initial investigation into the false report, the presidential office said the ministry did not share the information on the four additional launchers "on purpose."

The final report submitted to National Security Office (NSO) head Chung Eui-yong during the ministry's policy briefing May 26 only stated vaguely that a THAAD battery was deployed, without specifying the number of launchers, Yoon said.

Cheong Wa Dae learned about the additional launchers when Lee Sang-chul, first deputy chief of the NSO, asked a ministry official additional questions on the report after the briefing. Lee told this to Chung May 27, and the latter asked Defense Minister Han Min-koo about it during a luncheon meeting the next day, according to Yoon.

"Chung said to Han, ‘I heard four additional launchers had been brought in.' Then Han only replied, ‘Is that so?'" Yoon said.

Chung then told this to Moon May 29, and the President called Han the next day and confirmed the arrival.

"Moon said he was very shocked, because the THAAD launchers, which can have huge impact on the country and the people, were delivered secretly and the ministry deliberately did not report it to the new government when a Korea-U.S. summit is just around the corner," Yoon said.

Cheong Wa Dae is investigating why the ministry excluded the delivery of the four launchers from the report and who decided to do so. It told Han and former NSO head Kim Kwan-jin to come to the presidential office for questioning undergo investigation. "But we haven't had their reaction yet (whether they will come or not)," a Cheong Wa Dae official said.

Kim stayed in the post for about two weeks after the Moon government was launched, before his successor Chung was appointed.

"Even if the ministry wanted to keep the delivery of additional launchers secret from the public due to security reasons, it is hard to understand why it did not report it to the President," the official said.

Regarding the controversy, Han told reporters he did not order the false report. "I did not order it and it is not something to order," he said. Saying working-level officials drew up the report, Han added they did not state the specific number "four" as they believed other sentences included the fact.

Critics say the issue is beyond not sharing information but is a hindrance to the act of governing by the President.

"The military leaders have monopolized security control without the commander-in-chief's knowledge by taking advantage of the nation's leadership vacuum," the Center for Military Human Rights Korea said in a statement.

"This is clear disobedience and a refusal to recognize the President who was elected through a democratic procedure, and defying the military command system as defined by the Constitution."

Giving a deliberate false report is a serious crime, the center said, adding that Han and Kim should be subject to dereliction of duty charges, calling for a thorough investigation and the dismissal of the defense minister.

In the meantime, Moon told a U.S. lawmaker that the ongoing investigation is not intended to reverse the THAAD deployment agreement. "My order about the investigation is entirely a domestic one. We do not intend to change the existing decision or send a different message to the U.S.," presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun quoted Moon as saying to Senator Dick Durbin who is visiting Korea.

"But like the U.S., the Korean people demand proper procedures, and the survey into the battery system's environmental impact is a priority. The former government did not follow such due procedure and I'm attempting to follow it. It may take time but I hope the U.S. will understand that."

Kim Rahn rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr


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