Former spy agency chief questioned

By Kang Hyun-kyung

Won Se-hoon

The prosecution Monday questioned Won Se-hoon, former head of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), on Monday over allegations that the spy agency interfered in the Dec. 19 presidential election.

Won appeared at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office at 10 a.m. Friday and was interrogated as to whether he directed NIS agents to post online messages against the then main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) presidential candidate, Moon Jae-in.

Two prosecutors conducted the interrogation.

“This is a high-profile case that still needs to be investigated,” one of the prosecutors told reporters.

The investigation came days after the prosecution questioned Lee Jong-myung, a former deputy chief of the NIS under Won, over the spy agency’s alleged involvement.

Won could be summoned again. “Today’s questioning won’t be sufficient enough to get all the answers that we are seeking. We may have to question him a few more times,” the prosecutor said.

Last week, police requested the prosecution indict two NIS agents and one civilian, concluding that they colluded to spread negative rumors about the DUP presidential candidate from August to mid December last year.

Earlier, the DUP, together with civic groups, filed a lawsuit against Won, claiming the former NIS chief meddled in politics and thus violated the election law.

According to DUP lawmaker Jin Sun-mee, Won said the sympathizers posed a greater harm to the nation than North Korea did.

The DUP claimed that Won ordered his staffers to promote the four-river restoration project and the free trade agreement (FTA) signed with the United States so as to create favorable public opinions. The two were President Lee Myung-bak’s pet projects.

The prosecution issued a travel ban for Won last month. Won twice ignored requests to appear for questioning in connection with the scandal.