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South Korea’s Ex-Intelligence Chief Accused of Meddling in Presidential Race South Korea’s Ex-Intelligence Chief Accused of Meddling in Presidential Race
(about 3 hours later)
SEOUL, South Korea — State prosecutors said Tuesday that they will indict a former head of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service on charges he illegally tried to influence the presidential election last December in favor of President Park Geun-hye. SEOUL, South Korea — State prosecutors said on Tuesday that they would indict a former chief of the South Korean National Intelligence Service on charges of illegally trying to influence the election in December in favor of Park Geun-hye, who was elected president as the governing party candidate.
Won Sei-hoon, who had served as the top intelligence official under the former President Lee Myung-bak until February, was accused of being involved in a secretive campaign in which his agency used its agents and hired bloggers to post negative Internet commentaries about opposition rivals of Ms. Park, the governing party’s candidate at the time. The former official, Won Sei-hoon, served as the top intelligence official under President Lee Myung-bak, Ms. Park’s predecessor, until February. He is accused of being involved in a secretive campaign in which intelligence agents and bloggers hired by the agency posted negative comments on the Internet about Ms. Park’s rivals.
There was no evidence that Ms. Park, who beat her main opposition rival, Moon Jae-in, by one million votes, was involved in the operation. It also remained unclear whether or how much any online comments influenced the result. But the announcement by prosecutors on Tuesday added weight to a long-held suspicion among the political opposition that the intelligence agency engaged in illegal campaigning for Ms. Park. No evidence has emerged that Ms. Park — who defeated her main opposition rival, Moon Jae-in, by one million votes — was involved in the operation. It also remained unclear whether or how much the online campaign, if it existed, influenced the result of the election. But the announcement added weight to a long-held suspicion among the political opposition that the intelligence agency engaged in illegal campaigning for Ms. Park.
Mr. Won will be charged with violating the national election law, which bans government officials from using their influence to affect an election, as well as a separate law that prohibits government intelligence officials from meddling in domestic politics, Lee Jin-han, a senior prosecutor, told a news conference on Tuesday. Mr. Won will be charged with violating the national election law, which bans government officials from using their influence to affect an election, as well as a separate law that prohibits government intelligence officials from meddling in domestic politics, Lee Jin-han, a senior prosecutor, told the South Korean media on Tuesday.
Mr. Won, who was not arrested, was not immediately available for comment. But he and the intelligence agency had earlier denied interfering in the Dec. 19 election, saying that its officers’ online activities had been part of its normal psychological operations aimed at North Korea. Ms. Park’s office did not immediately comment on the prosecutors’ announcement on Tuesday. During her election campaign, Ms. Park and her party had vehemently accused Mr. Moon and his opposition party of stirring up trouble when they first made accusations of illegal campaign activities by intelligence agents. Mr. Won, who was not arrested, was not immediately available for comment. But he and the intelligence agency have denied interfering in the election on Dec. 19, saying the office’s online activities were part of normal psychological operations focused on North Korea.
Mr. Moon’s opposition Democratic Party on Monday accused Ms. Park's office and her justice minister of trying to intervene in the investigation by prosecutors. Both the presidential office and prosecutors denied the claim. Ms. Park’s office did not comment on the prosecutor’s announcement on Tuesday. During her campaign, Ms. Park and her party vehemently accused Mr. Moon and his opposition party of stirring up trouble when they first made accusations of illegal campaign activities by intelligence agents.
Mr. Won becomes the latest in a series of former South Korean intelligence chiefs to face criminal indictment after leaving office. Several of them have been imprisoned for corruption and other crimes. Still, the head of the National Intelligence Service, once used by the country's former military dictators as a main tool for silencing political dissent, remains one of the most powerful government jobs in South Korea. The intelligence agency has repeatedly vowed not to meddle in politics. But accusations of wrongdoing by its agents resurfaced during the presidential election campaign last year. Mr. Moon’s opposition Democratic Party on Monday accused Ms. Park’s office and her justice minister of trying to intervene in the prosecutors’ investigation. Both the presidential office and prosecutors denied the claim.
Police officials, who had rejected the opposition allegation before the election, reversed their position in March, when they announced that two low-ranking spy agents illegally posted comments online criticizing the opposition candidates. Mr. Won is the latest in a series of former South Korean intelligence chiefs who have faced criminal indictments after leaving office. Several of them have been imprisoned for corruption and other crimes.
Prosecutors took over the investigation in April, as the opposition accused the police of whitewashing their inquiry in order not to offend Ms. Park. The opposition claimed that the two officers were part of a much bigger operation orchestrated by the leadership of the agency. The head of the National Intelligence Service, once used by the country’s military dictators as a main tool for silencing political dissent, remains one of the most powerful government jobs in South Korea. The intelligence agency has repeatedly vowed not to meddle in politics.
On Tuesday, Mr. Lee, the senior prosecutor, said that the former head of the Seoul police, Kim Yong-pan, will be indicted on charges of illegally intervening in the police investigation. A female police investigator had earlier claimed her bosses had attempted to whitewash the investigation, although the National Police Agency denied the accusation. Police officials, who rejected the opposition’s accusation before the election, reversed their position in March, announcing that two low-ranking agents had illegally posted comments online criticizing the opposition candidates.
Prosecutors took over the investigation in April, as the opposition accused the police of whitewashing their inquiry so as not to offend Ms. Park. The opposition said the two officers were part of a much bigger operation orchestrated by the leadership of the agency.
Mr. Lee, the senior prosecutor, also said on Tuesday that the former head of the Seoul police, Kim Yong-pan, would be indicted on charges of illegally intervening in the police investigation. A female police investigator had claimed that her bosses attempted to whitewash her inquiry, although the National Police Agency denied the accusation.
The announcement of the charges came after prosecutors summoned Mr. Won and other senior intelligence officials for questioning and raided the spy agency’s headquarters in a Seoul suburb in April.The announcement of the charges came after prosecutors summoned Mr. Won and other senior intelligence officials for questioning and raided the spy agency’s headquarters in a Seoul suburb in April.