Jung Ho-sub named Chief of Naval Operations
By Jun Ji-hye
Vice Adm. Jung Ho-sub
The government named Vice Adm. Jung Ho-sub as new Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Monday, after accepting the resignation from Adm. Hwang Ki-chul who was allegedly involved in corruption that produced a faulty naval salvage ship.
“President Park Geun-hye will officially appoint Jung to the position today after approval at a Cabinet meeting,” the Ministry of National Defense said in a statement.
According to Navy officials, Hwang offered his resignation to Defense Minister Han Min-koo on Dec. 29 to take responsibility for his purported involvement in the selection of a supplier who sold an outdated sonar system for the first domestically-made rescue and salvage ship, the 3,500-ton Tongyeong.
On Dec. 16, the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) concluded that Hwang was deeply engaged in the case in January 2009 when he was serving as head of the department in charge of the vessel project at the military procurement agency. Based on the result of its inspection, the state auditor requested the ministry to take disciplinary action against him.
The ministry said Jung, 57, who previously served as fleet commander and other key posts in the Navy, is a specialist in maritime operations.
“Jung is the right man for CNO as he has command ability and military professionalism to help strengthen the nation’s security posture against threats,” the ministry said. “He also possesses tactical knowledge as well as great character.”
Launched in September 2012, the Tongyeong failed to take part in the rescue operation after the ferry Sewol sank in April last year because of the non-functioning sonar. It sparked a huge controversy over deep-rooted corruption in the defense industry.
According to the BAI, Hwang pushed for a purchase agreement with the supplier even before the Defense Acquisition Program Administration secured the proper evaluation data. He also gave the company preference by postponing the deadline twice for it to submit a plan for the project.