Army chief quits over property scandal

By Jung Sung-ki

Army chief of staff Gen. Hwang Eui-don resigned Tuesday, ahead of a planned reshuffle of top military brass this week. President Lee Myung-bak accepted his resignation, Cheong Wa Dae officials said.

Hwang’s resignation follows a controversy over property investment. He was suspected of having engaged in real estate speculation based on inside information about the government’s relaxation of regulations on the height of buildings around military installations.

Hwang bought a two-story building with a total floor space of 316 square meters near the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan, central Seoul, in August 2002, when he was serving as the ministry spokesman.

Just four months after buying the building, the ministry announced a plan to relax the height of buildings in the Yongsan area to allow construction of buildings of up to 95 meters in height.

Hwang subsequently remodeled the building to make it a six-story one, which is now worth an estimated 6 billion won.

Hwang argued that he had been not in a position to secure such confidential information.

“Following the controversy over his property investment, Hwang decided to step down as he thought it was not appropriate for him to lead the Army and defense reform efforts in support of new Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin,” an official at the Ministry of National Defense said.

Gen. Kim Sang-ki, commander of the Third ROK Army Command, is said to be a leading candidate to replace Hwang, according to sources. Other candidates include Gen. Park Jung-i, commander of the First ROK Army Command, and Gen. Lee Chul-hui, commander of the Second ROK Army Command.

‘육군총장 전역지원서 靑 수용’

황의돈 육군참모총장이 재산형성 과정에서 불거진 의혹에 책임을 지고 14일 전역지원서를 제출한 것으로 정부 관계자가 확인됐다.

이명박 대통령은 이를 받아들였다고 국방부 관계자는 밝혔으나 더 이상 자세히 언급하지 않았다.

황 총장은 부동산 투자를 통해 막대한 이익을 얻은 것으로 알려졌다.

그는 국방부 청사 인근의 건축제한이 완화된다는 정보를 가지고 부동산 투자를 한 것으로 알려졌다.