ⓒYONHAP News

South Korea's military authorities acknowledged there were maritime security lapses regarding the recent undetected arrival of a North Korean boat at the eastern Samcheok Port in Gangwon Province.

Announcing on Wednesday the outcome of the government's joint probe into the incident, the Office for Government Policy Coordination said there was a failure in the military's vigilance operations and analysis of the radar-detected vessel.

The Defense Ministry said it will relieve the commander of the Army's Eighth Corps from his duty and issue a stern warning to Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) Chairman Park Han-ki.

While apologizing for failing to properly inform the public about a national security situation, Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo dismissed allegations of a military cover-up attempt in relation to the initial report that the boat was found "near" the port instead of inside the breakwater.