Military rules out espionage but acknowledges security lapse

Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul vows to address shortcomings

A soldier stands guard at a GOP (general outpost) fence line. This photo is unrelated to the article. [Herald DB]
A soldier stands guard at a GOP (general outpost) fence line. This photo is unrelated to the article. [Herald DB]

A woman in her 30s who illegally crossed the civilian control line in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, and damaged fencing at a frontline general outpost (GOP) has been detained by the military. The incident has drawn criticism over gaps in the military's border security after troops initially spotted the woman but failed to apprehend her.

Military authorities said the woman, identified only as A, entered a restricted area north of the civilian control line in Cheorwon without authorization Saturday afternoon. Troops identified her and moved to detain her but were unable to make an arrest.

She was spotted again the following morning, Sunday, at the frontline GOP fence line, where she was found cutting through multiple optical-fiber sensors installed on the fence.

The sensors are part of the GOP's automated surveillance system and are woven around the fence in a net-like configuration. They detect when an outsider grips or cuts the fence for a sustained period and relay an alert to a command center.

GOP fence lines are typically installed near the Southern Limit Line, roughly 2 kilometers south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) begins on the other side of the fence.

After surveillance equipment detected A cutting the sensors, troops immediately deployed and took her into custody. A joint investigation by relevant agencies found no evidence of espionage or other security-related offenses. However, A was reportedly unable to explain her actions coherently during questioning.

The incident has prompted criticism of the military's frontline security posture.

People Power Party lawmaker Seong Il-jong raised the matter at the National Assembly's national audit of South Korea's Ministry of National Defense on Monday, saying it took more than 20 hours after the woman was first identified before troops detained her. "Our military's GOP was breached by a woman in her 30s who stands 158 centimeters tall," Seong said. "This should never have happened."

Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said the military was investigating how she entered the civilian control zone and acknowledged that problems existed. "We see that there are shortcomings and will address them," he said.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Jin Yeong-seung also acknowledged the lapse. "We made efforts to detain her early on, but the fact that we were unable to do so is a problem," he said. "We are currently conducting a review and will make sure the gaps are addressed."


woo@heraldcorp.com