Determine quickly whether it is true or not
Few Korean elections have been free from unwarranted intervention by the principal institutions of power, namely the police, prosecution and the intelligence agency. The 18th presidential poll appeared to be an exception. That is, until the opposition camp alleged, less than a week before the vote, that the nation's top spy agency has systematically slandered their candidate in cyberspace.
We rather hope the allegations are false. This is because, if proved true, the scandal will be so shocking as to shake the moral foundation of not just the National Intelligence Service but the entire administration.
The Democratic United Party says the NIS beefed up its psychological intelligence unit recently, and its 70-odd staffers have uploaded postings denouncing its candidate, Moon Jae-in. Members of the largest opposition party, along with election officials, visited what was believed to be an intelligence service ''safe house" Wednesday but were refused entry.
Most voters will find this unbelievable, the sort of sordid activity rampant during the military dictatorship of the 1960s and '70s. Yet one cannot entirely rule out such a possibility, given that it was only recently that the police spied on former independent candidate Ahn Cheol-soo, finding out where he drank at night and which people, including women, he met. Nor can the spy agency be free from blame for using its manpower not for the purposes of national security but for protecting the interests of the administration.
In view of both the seriousness of this allegations and the time left before the poll, it is imperative for law enforcement authorities to swiftly get to the bottom of this scandal. The longer the officers drag their feet, the muddier the last-minute election campaigns will become.
However, all parties involved have so far acted less than transparently and effectively to quickly resolve the matter. The DUP and election officials, without any legal documents whatsoever, raided the home of a female NIS employee and engaged in an overnight squabble with her, infringing on her human rights. The police are also to be blamed for their rather slow response. And the NIS has refused to hand over the computer hard discs and smart phone records because the opposition party failed to follow due legal procedures.
In a more desirable situation, the DUP should have requested a police probe first presenting all the evidence it has. The police needed to be more positive, because it is their duty to investigate people who arouse even the slightest suspicions. The NIS had only to make public the computer and phone records concerning the election-rigging allegations if it had nothing to hide as it claims.
This is no time for the three, and the ruling Saenuri Party, to become mired in a blame game and political propaganda. Depending on the result of the probe, the scandal could alter the election result to a considerable extent. In particular, the top spy agency needs to be more positive about clearing up all suspicions, because it has just demonstrated its incompetence ― once again ― by remaining in the dark about North Korea's rocket launch.
Depending on the outcome of the probe, either the DUP or NIS should be ready to take full responsibility even after the poll is over. At stake is the genuineness of the nation's democratic development over the 25 past years.
Few Korean elections have been free from unwarranted intervention by the principal institutions of power, namely the police, prosecution and the intelligence agency. The 18th presidential poll appeared to be an exception. That is, until the opposition camp alleged, less than a week before the vote, that the nation's top spy agency has systematically slandered their candidate in cyberspace.
We rather hope the allegations are false. This is because, if proved true, the scandal will be so shocking as to shake the moral foundation of not just the National Intelligence Service but the entire administration.
The Democratic United Party says the NIS beefed up its psychological intelligence unit recently, and its 70-odd staffers have uploaded postings denouncing its candidate, Moon Jae-in. Members of the largest opposition party, along with election officials, visited what was believed to be an intelligence service ''safe house" Wednesday but were refused entry.
Most voters will find this unbelievable, the sort of sordid activity rampant during the military dictatorship of the 1960s and '70s. Yet one cannot entirely rule out such a possibility, given that it was only recently that the police spied on former independent candidate Ahn Cheol-soo, finding out where he drank at night and which people, including women, he met. Nor can the spy agency be free from blame for using its manpower not for the purposes of national security but for protecting the interests of the administration.
In view of both the seriousness of this allegations and the time left before the poll, it is imperative for law enforcement authorities to swiftly get to the bottom of this scandal. The longer the officers drag their feet, the muddier the last-minute election campaigns will become.
However, all parties involved have so far acted less than transparently and effectively to quickly resolve the matter. The DUP and election officials, without any legal documents whatsoever, raided the home of a female NIS employee and engaged in an overnight squabble with her, infringing on her human rights. The police are also to be blamed for their rather slow response. And the NIS has refused to hand over the computer hard discs and smart phone records because the opposition party failed to follow due legal procedures.
In a more desirable situation, the DUP should have requested a police probe first presenting all the evidence it has. The police needed to be more positive, because it is their duty to investigate people who arouse even the slightest suspicions. The NIS had only to make public the computer and phone records concerning the election-rigging allegations if it had nothing to hide as it claims.
This is no time for the three, and the ruling Saenuri Party, to become mired in a blame game and political propaganda. Depending on the result of the probe, the scandal could alter the election result to a considerable extent. In particular, the top spy agency needs to be more positive about clearing up all suspicions, because it has just demonstrated its incompetence ― once again ― by remaining in the dark about North Korea's rocket launch.
Depending on the outcome of the probe, either the DUP or NIS should be ready to take full responsibility even after the poll is over. At stake is the genuineness of the nation's democratic development over the 25 past years.
