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Tensions on the Korean Peninsula

US forces commander lodges protest with Seoul over North Korea-related leak

South Korean Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young insists his statement was based on open sources from US think tanks

SEOUL, April 21. /TASS/. Commander of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) Xavier Brunson has reportedly lodged a protest with South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back over an alleged leak of information about North Korea’s third nuclear facility, Sung Il-jong, chairman of the parliamentary committee on defense, said.

"According to the information that I have received as the defense committee chair, the United States Forces Korea commander held an urgent meeting with Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and expressed a strong protest because Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young had mentioned Kusong as the location of North Korea’s third nuclear facility," the lawmaker told a press conference.

"The Defense Ministry and the National Intelligence Service must find out if this is true or not," Sung added. "If it’s true, Chung Dong-young cannot hold his position for another second," he stressed.

South Korean Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young said during a parliamentary hearing on March 6 that there was a third nuclear site in North Korea, located in the city of Kusong. The US authorities concluded that the minister had disclosed classified information provided by the United States. However, Chung insists his statement was based on open sources from US think tanks.

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Situation on the Korean Peninsula

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