The Navy launched an investigation on Thursday into allegations that a three-star commander sexually harassed caddies at a golf course inside a naval unit at Jinhae, South Gyeongsang Province, last year.

The commander, whose identity was withheld, is purported to have demanded that the caddies sing songs and dance on the golf course.

He admitted he asked them to sing, but denied that they were asked to dance.

The allegations are the latest in a series of sexual assault cases that has rattled the military, which has been pushing for a zero-tolerance campaign to fix its damaged public image and troop morale.

The case was reported to the Navy in January after caddies filed complaints with the officials in charge of the golf course. The officials then reported it to senior Navy officials, who reportedly concluded that it was not a serious case of sexual abuse.

The Navy did not reopen the case until it was reported by local media, but the officials denied they had any intention of concealing the incident.

Defense Minister Han Min-koo ordered a “stern measure” should the commander be found guilty of any sexual crime.

“Minister Han was briefed on the case by the chief of naval operations at 10 p.m. on Wednesday and he ordered the authorities to sternly deal with the case after verifying the facts,” Defense Ministry spokesperson Kim Min-seok told reporters.

To wipe out sex crimes in the military, the Defense Ministry has been working to devise a comprehensive package of measures, including a “one-strike system” under which senior officials, if caught sexually harassing subordinate soldiers, will be forcibly expelled from the military for good.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)