Senior officials from the Moon Jae-in administration, including former national security adviser Chung Eui-yong, are reportedly under investigation for leaking classified intelligence about the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system to civic groups and Chinese officials in May 2020. The allegations, disclosed by South Korea’s Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI), suggest potential breaches of national security tied to one of the country’s most contentious defense policies.

The accusations involve sharing details of a joint U.S.-South Korea missile replacement operation in 2020, which reportedly led to clashes between residents and police. The BAI claims officials also briefed a Chinese defense attache on the operation’s specifics, including its timing and objectives, potentially as part of efforts to delay the deployment of the THAAD system, which faced significant opposition from Beijing and local activists.