Category: China

Hopefully this guy receives the maximum punishment:

A former Army sergeant with an intelligence unit at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., pleaded guilty to charges that he tried to sell military secrets to China, according to federal authorities. Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 31, faces penalties of up to 10 years in jail and a $250,000 fine for each count of retention of national security information and attempt to deliver national security information, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington said.

Stars & Stripes

Here is what this guy tried to do:

In his position, Schmidt had access to secret U.S. military information. He learned to speak Mandarin during his time in the Army and traveled at least once to China while off duty. After leaving the Army in early 2020, Schmidt contacted the Chinese Consulate in Turkey and visited Istanbul to interest Chinese intelligence officers in documents that he had taken from the Army. He also emailed Chinese security forces offering to turn over national defense information.

Schmidt moved to Hong Kong in March 2020 and contacted Chinese intelligence services again trying to pass classified information. He also offered to turn over a device that allows for access to secure U.S. military computer systems. In addition to the documents, Schmidt sought a position with the Chinese as an intelligence or security asset. During his time in China, he traveled to Beijing. Schmidt emailed information to news media in China affiliated with the government.

You can read more at the link.

Well at least the ROK and the U.S. will know where the Chinese spies will be working out of:

The Chinese government owns 11 plots of land in Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, central Seoul, which sit between 1 and 1.5 kilometers from the proposed future site of the US Embassy and South Korea’s current presidential office, according to a local media report Wednesday.

Asia Business Daily reported that the People’s Republic of China acquired ownership of the land spanning 4,100 square meters in December 2018 for about 29.9 billion won ($21.9 million). It marked the first time that a foreign government’s direct land purchase in the Yongsan area was disclosed to the public.

The properties are at the southern foot of Namsan, just before entering Namsan Tunnels No. 2 and 3 from Noksapyeong-daero in Itaewon-dong. The site previously operated as an outdoor golf driving range for more than 40 years but shut down around the time the land changed hands. Several buildings on the site remain unoccupied.

The Itaewon-dong location sits approximately 1 to 1.5 kilometers from the current presidential office in Samgakji, current presidential residence in Hannam-dong, and the former Camp Coiner site — the designated location for the new US Embassy — all in the district of Yongsan-gu.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link, but according to the article the Chinese government is responsible for 64.9% of foreign real estate transactions in South Korea.