Military prosecutors in South Korea have questioned one of the country's highest-ranking military officers over allegations that he embezzled tens of thousands of US dollars to pay for clothes for his wife and golfing excursions.
General Shin Il-Soon, 57, deputy chief of Republic of Korea-US combined forces command, is alleged to have misappropriated about 15 million won (HK$1 million) from his unit's budget.
South Korean newspapers quoted a military prosecutor as saying General Shin had admitted taking the money but said it had been used for official parties and other military events.
'His claim lacks authenticity and we obtained evidence backing the embezzlement suspicions,' said a member of the military prosecution quoted by Yonhap news agency.
General Shin is one of only eight four-star South Korean generals. As deputy chief of ROK-US joint military command, he is directly accountable to US General Leon J. Laporte and is responsible for the 37,000 US and about 600,000 South Korean soldiers.
The US military in South Korea has been anxious to avoid becoming embroiled in the investigation.