A military intelligence official has been referred to the prosecution for allegedly leaking information of South Korean espionage agents operating overseas, the defense ministry said Thursday.

"The Defense Counterintelligence Command has referred the civilian official at the Korea Defense Intelligence Command to the military prosecution on charges of violating the Military Secret Protection Act ... as well as espionage charges," the defense ministry said in a statement.

The official, whose identity is withheld, was arrested last week over allegations of handing over personal information of "black agents" to a Chinese national of Korean descent, who is possibly an informant for North Korea's intelligence agency.

Black agents refer to intelligence officials conducting undercover espionage activities overseas against North Korea with their identities in disguise.

The official denied the alleged leak of military intelligence, claiming that his laptop was hacked, but the intelligence command reportedly rejected such a claim in a closed-door meeting with lawmakers last month.

The intelligence command became aware of the alleged leak around June after being informed of the case by a related intelligence agency, according to the lawmakers.

Whether espionage charges could be applied to the official has been a focal point as such charges are only valid for those who have leaked intelligence to North Korea by law, raising views that military authorities have secured signs of such charges.

The latest case has reportedly prompted some agents to return home over concerns of their identities being exposed. (Yonhap)