Former top spy may face questioning over alleged embezzlement

By Lee Kyung-min

Former National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief Won Sei-hoon is expected to face additional questioning over allegations he embezzled $2 million in agency funds to “secure his life after retirement.”

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office is reviewing material seized during a search a day earlier of the Institute for National Security Strategy, an NIS-supervised state think tank, and Won’s cell in the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province. It includes his personal notes and financial documents.

The search followed the findings of an NIS reform task force that uncovered Won wired money allocated for overseas operations to Stanford University in the U.S. between late 2011 and early 2012. The money was sent through the institute to a research center at the university.

Many former NIS officials reportedly told the prosecution about their involvement in wiring the funds.

The prosecution believes the money was given as a “contribution” to the university, where Won sought to begin a research fellowship program after his retirement in 2013.

His plan failed after the prosecution imposed a travel ban on him in a widening investigation into alleged NIS political meddling in the 2012 presidential election, in which then conservative candidate Park Geun-hye narrowly beat her liberal opponent Moon Jae-in.

Prosecutors said the money remains with the university. They said they will expand the investigation into whether he embezzled more agency funds in buying a house in the U.S.

Won, who led the NIS between 2009 and 2013 under right-wing President Lee Myung-bak, is serving a prison term after being convicted for orchestrating an online smear campaign against leftist politicians in the lead-up to the 2012 presidential election.

Rep. Je Youn-kyung, spokeswoman of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, called for a thorough investigation of the latest allegations.

She said if Won did use NIS funds allocated for national security for personal expenses, it is not only illegal but also a grave offense undermining the discipline by which the country should be governed.

Je demanded that the prosecution uncover whether NIS funds were given to Lee the same way three former top spies under the Park administration gave agency funds allocated for “special activities” to presidential secretaries, Cheong Wa Dae and Park.