K1 MBT Design Leaked

A researcher from a state institution on the military has been arrested and indicted on charges of illegally leaking design drawings of the country's main battle tank to a U.S. firm, a local prosecution said Monday.

   The researcher, whose personal information was withheld, allegedly transferred drawings of the steering mechanism for the K-1 main battle tanks to a U.S. mechanical parts production company by airmail in May 2010, according to the Daejeon District Prosecutor's Office.

   He allegedly acquired the drawings while being in charge of testing the durability of the tanks at the request of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the prosecutors said.

   The suspect told prosecutors that he handed over the drawings "to discuss ways to improve the function of the machine part." An investigation is underway into whether the leakage was made upon the company's request and if the suspect was paid off for the transfer.

Yonhap News