Indonesian military secrets stolen in Seoul

By Jung Sung-ki

Three thieves broke into a VIP hotel room of a high-level Indonesian delegation in Seoul earlier this week, allegedly to steal classified information on defense cooperation programs between Seoul and Jakarta, a local broadcaster reported Friday.

Citing sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and police officials, SBS reported the trespassers _ two men and one woman believed to be Asian _ downloaded confidential files from some delegates’ laptop computers to their USB memory sticks.

The files contained top defense secrets, including Indonesia’s potential purchase of South Korea’s T-50, it said.

Police presumes the thieves could be members of an international arms agent or professional spies.

The Indonesian government has not filed any complaint about the incident, according to the foreign ministry.

Scores of Indonesian government officials led by Hatta Rajasa, coordinating minister for economic affairs, arrived in Seoul Tuesday as presidential envoys.

The visit followed an economic cooperation agreement that President Lee Myung-bak and his Indonesian counterpart Yudhoyono reached during a summit in December.

During their three-day stay here, the delegates met with South Korean counterparts to discuss ways of boosting bilateral economic ties.