Colonel at Defense Acquisition Program Administration 'Removed from Position' on Sexual Crime Charges

Defense Acquisition Program Administration (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Colonel A of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) was relieved of his post on charges of committing a sexual crime against a fellow employee.

According to military officials on the 21st, Colonel A went on a two-day business trip to Jinhae-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam Province with the victim and other colleagues on April 21. It is reported that Colonel A sexually harassed the victim during a dinner gathering on the first day of the trip.

The female employee reported this to the grievance counselor within DAPA in May and filed a complaint with the police station in charge of Anyang-si, Gyeonggi Province on charges of attempted rape. Subsequently, DAPA transferred Colonel A from the Defense Industry Promotion Bureau’s Defense Industry Policy Division to the Defense Acquisition Program Education Institute under the Agency for Defense Development and separated him from his previous position.

On the 20th, Colonel A was relieved of his post and is reportedly under police investigation for committing a sexual crime against a fellow employee. It is reported that Colonel A is currently denying the charges.

Meanwhile, former Minister of National Defense Seo Wook, after a series of sexual harassment incidents within the military, summoned Kang Eun-ho, head of DAPA, last year and ordered strong measures using terms such as “severe punishment,” “thorough reform,” and “complete transformation.” However, sexual-related crimes have occurred again in less than a year.