An official from South Korea’s Ministry of Unification (MOU) is under indictment on suspicion of selling the personal information of 48 North Korean defectors, local prosecutors confirmed to NK News on Monday.

The Goyang Branch of Uijeongbu District’s Public Prosecutors’ Office said the South Korean official, named only as Lee, was charged with divulging official secrets – among other undisclosed offenses – on September 6.

Lee is accused of selling the addresses and mobile phone numbers of 48 escapees to a broker named Bae, who is reportedly a defector. Lee is accused of handing over information around 20 times between