By Kim Jae-won
The prosecution raided the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) Monday to investigate whether it helped the National Intelligence Service (NIS) cover up an alleged online effort to discredit the then opposition presidential candidate, Moon Jae-in.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office had 27 investigators search the agency and haul away computer files and documents.
Former SMPA Chief Kim Yong-pan will be soon questioned to determine whether he was involved, sources at the prosecution said.
The case may become politically explosive because it could give fodder for the opposition to raise issues with the election of President Park Geun-hye.
The raid came after Kwon Eun-hee, a lead investigator at Suseo Police Station in southern Seoul, told reporters that she was pressured by her superiors to scale down her inquiries.
Prosecutors have questioned Kwon and her superiors, including the former head of the Suseo Police Station.
Last month, the Suseo station, which investigated the case for four months, announced that at least two NIS agents illegally tried to influence the election by posting anti-Moon comments.
Police had been looking into allegations that the NIS systematically and extensively meddled in the presidential election by using its agents to illegally post a slew of politically sensitive comments against Moon on the Internet to sway public opinion ahead of the December vote.
It is rare for the prosecution to raid the police agency — this is only the fourth time in history that prosecutors have done so.
SMPA chief Kim Jeong-seok said he will actively cooperate with the prosecution to uncover the truth.