Diplomat in 'Hanmi Summit Call Leak' Case Wins Dismissal Cancellation Lawsuit

Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Reconsider Disciplinary Level... "Will Not Appeal"

Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Heejun Jang junh@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] A diplomat who was dismissed for leaking the contents of a phone call between the South Korean and U.S. presidents while serving as a counselor at the South Korean Embassy in the United States has won a lawsuit against the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeking to overturn the dismissal. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expected to reconsider the level of disciplinary action in respect of the court ruling.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and legal circles on the 9th, diplomat A won a partial victory in the first trial of the lawsuit filed against the Minister of Foreign Affairs to cancel the dismissal on the 4th of last month. The ruling was recently finalized as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not appeal.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is reportedly planning to hold a re-discipline committee soon to reconsider the level of disciplinary action against A, as the court's ruling indicated that "the disciplinary measure of dismissal was excessive."

Previously, A was dismissed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' disciplinary committee in May 2019 for leaking the contents of a phone call between former President Moon Jae-in and former U.S. President Donald Trump, classified as Level 3 secret, to Kang Hyo-sang, a senior from his high school and then a member of the Liberty Korea Party. Dismissal is the highest level of severe disciplinary action. Under the National Public Service Act, disciplinary actions are divided into severe penalties such as dismissal, removal, demotion, and suspension, and lighter penalties such as pay reduction and reprimand.

A admitted to revealing some expressions within the record of the phone call between the South Korean and U.S. presidents but claimed that it was solely to enhance the policy understanding of the lawmaker and that there was no other intent, filing a lawsuit in November of the same year.