DATE=7/25/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-217649
TITLE=KOREA ESPIONAGE (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=SHIN NA
DATELINE=SEOUL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A SOUTH KOREAN COURT HAS CONVICTED TWO AMERICANS AND TWO
SOUTH KOREAN ARMS DEALERS FOR GATHERING CLASSIFIED INFORMATION ON
SEOUL'S ARMS PROCUREMENT PROGRAM. SHIN NA REPORTS FROM SEOUL,
THE CONVICTIONS COME JUST WEEKS AFTER A U-S COURT CONVICTED A
KOREAN-AMERICAN FOR ESPIONAGE.
TEXT: DONALD RATCLIFFE OF THE AMERICAN DEFENSE CONTRACTOR
"LITTON GUIDANCE AND CONTROL SYSTEMS", WAS GIVEN A SUSPENDED
TWO-YEAR PRISON TERM BY THE SEOUL DISTRICT COURT FOR OBTAINING
CLASSIFIED MILITARY INFORMATION.
A KOREAN-AMERICAN ARMS BROKER, JAMES KWAK, WAS GIVEN THREE YEARS
IN PRISON FOR STEALING AND PASSING ON MILITARY SECRETS TO
RATCLIFFE. THE TWO MEN ARE SAID TO BE FORMER BUSINESS PARTNERS.
RATCLIFFE WAS DIRECTOR OF SALES FOR LITTON'S FAR EAST ASIAN
REGION, BASED IN THAILAND, AND HE FREQUENTLY MET WITH LOCAL ARMS
DEALERS DURING HIS TRIPS TO KOREA. HE WAS ARRESTED IN APRIL BY
SOUTH KOREA'S INTELLIGENCE AGENCY FOR SECURING MILITARY SECRETS
FROM ARMS BROKERS. THREE ARMS DEALERS, INCLUDING JAMES KWAK,
WERE ARRESTED AT THE SAME TIME.
// OPT // KWAK IS ALLEGED TO HAVE MET SEVERAL TIMES WITH
INCUMBENT OR RETIRED AIR FORCE OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS GOVERNMENT
PLANS FOR THE PURCHASE OF FOREIGN WEAPONS SYSTEMS. // END OPT //
INVESTIGATORS SAY RATCLIFFE HAD BEEN SECURING INFORMATION ON
SURVEILLANCE AIRCRAFT AND OTHER ARMS PROCUREMENT PROJECTS SINCE
1994. IT IS NOT CERTAIN YET WHETHER THE CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
WAS PASSED ON TO THE U-S GOVERNMENT.
FRIDAY'S CONVICTIONS COME TWO WEEKS AFTER A U-S COURT SENTENCED A
FORMER KOREAN-AMERICAN NAVY ANALYST TO NINE YEARS IN PRISON.
ROBERT KIM WAS CONVICTED OF PASSING CLASSIFIED U-S NAVY DOCUMENTS
TO THE SOUTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT. (SIGNED)
NEB/SN/MMK/RAE
25-Jul-97 7:07 AM EDT (1107 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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