A large-scale reshuffle of top military commanders is expected next week over the sinking of the Navy warship Cheonan on March 26, a government source said Tuesday.
The Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) will send results of its investigation into the military's handling of the sinking to the Ministry of National Defense this week, the source said on condition of anonymity.
Based on the results, the military will carry out a large-scale reshuffle as early as next week, the source said.
A team of international experts concluded last month that a North Korean submarine had infiltrated South Korean waters near the West Sea border and attacked the 1,200-ton ship with a torpedo. The tragedy took the lives of 46 sailors.
The BAI probe, conducted at the request of Minister of National Defense Kim Tae-young, centered on not only when and how the ship sinking was reported to military leaders, but also whether the military's rescue efforts were quick and effective.