South Korea denies hiding defense minister's military records
· UPIJuly 21 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's Defense Ministry rejected an opposition lawmaker's allegation Tuesday that it was using the dissolution of the military counterintelligence command to conceal records related to Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back's military service.
"The relevant records do not exist," ministry spokeswoman Jeong Bit-na said during a briefing at the ministry's headquarters in Seoul.
Reform Party floor leader Chun Ha-ram said on social media that his office had requested investigative records from the Defense Counterintelligence Command concerning allegations that Ahn had left his assigned military post without authorization.
Chun said the command responded that it could not provide the records because its dissolution had been decided and its documents were being transferred to other agencies, leaving insufficient personnel to handle the request.
"Ahn is the person who decided to dissolve the counterintelligence command," Chun said. "Is he using its dissolution as an excuse to hide records concerning the allegation that he deserted his post?"
Chun also questioned whether Ahn had insisted on becoming defense minister and pushed for the command's dissolution to eliminate information related to the allegations.
The lawmaker said Ahn had requested military service records concerning defense minister nominees on four occasions while serving on the National Assembly's Defense Committee.
"Someone who demanded thorough scrutiny of other people's records is now unable to disclose his own," Chun said. "He should release them immediately."
Jeong said it would be inappropriate for the ministry to evaluate a politician's remarks.
She said, however, that the relevant agencies had checked whether documents requested by several lawmakers' offices existed.
The agencies found no military police investigation report, detention personnel order or military judge's arrest warrant related to the allegations, Jeong said.
"The ministry responded that way because those materials were confirmed not to exist," she said.
-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260721010007339