[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Defense Company That Leaked Military Secrets

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Kim Mo, CEO of Dasan Gikong, who won the contract for the next-generation special operations submachine gun Type 1 (system development) project to be used by our military special forces, has been sentenced to prison by the prosecution. With Song Mo, an executive of Dasan Gikong who leaked military secrets, having been sentenced to prison in a military trial, the project itself is now at risk of being reset to square one.

According to the Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office, at the sentencing trial held yesterday at the Jeonju District Court's 12th Criminal Division (Presiding Judge Lee Young-ho), the prosecution requested a 4-year prison sentence for defense industry company CEO A.

Kim Mo, CEO of Dasan Gikong, was indicted on charges of illegally collecting 2nd to 3rd grade military secret documents related to the 5.56mm special operations submachine gun, 5.56mm next-generation light machine gun, new 7.62mm machine gun, and 12.7mm sniper rifle projects from 2015 until last year.

The defense industry company CEO, who illegally collected military secrets related to the next-generation submachine guns, machine guns, and sniper rifles to be introduced by the Army and provided money and entertainment to insiders who helped him, has been sentenced to prison by the prosecution.

It was investigated that the executive Song Mo, a former military officer, met with them while on active duty, listened to confidential stories related to the projects the military was promoting, and photographed or took notes of the documents.

The Ministry of National Defense Military Court held a sentencing trial on the 6th for Song Mo, an executive of the defense company Dasan Gikong, on charges of violating the Military Secrets Protection Act, and sentenced him to 4 years in prison.

The court ruled that before Song was employed by Dasan Gikong, he directly called Dasan Gikong officials or visited their office to provide military secrets. In particular, it was judged that over 3 years and 5 months, he received money and entertainment worth approximately 5.5 million won in 23 instances as compensation for multiple leaks and provision of military secrets and even requested employment.