S.Korea: 2-star general loses command over border dash

ANKARA (AA) – A two-star army general in South Korea has been stripped of his command over a security failure, local media reported on Thursday.

The Defense Ministry said the commander of the 22nd Infantry Division in the eastern border town of Goseong is among five officers who will be referred to a disciplinary committee over the recent border crossing by a North Korean man, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The action comes after it came to light that guards failed to notice the North Korean man even though he was caught on surveillance cameras 10 times as he crossed on Feb. 16.

The man passed through a drainage conduit beneath the barbed wire fences set up along the shore, according to the report.

“The Defense Ministry takes this situation gravely. We will intensively push forward with fundamental supplementary measures with a strong determination and do our best so that our military can regain trust from the public,” the ministry said.

While five officers, including the commander, are due to face a disciplinary committee, 18 others will undergo a review by the ground operations command, the report added.

* Writing by Islamuddin Sajid