By Jung Min-ho
Twenty-five prosecutors will be assigned to investigate the National Intelligence Service (NIS), which has now been accused of also conducting illegal actions during the Lee Myung-bak administration. It had previously been accused of the same activities under the Park Geun-hye government.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office said Tuesday that eight additional prosecutors will join the special investigation team. The office made the decision to add the investigators in an effort to conclude the case after years of speculation about illegalities at the NIS.
The move comes a day after Prosecutor General Mun Moo-il said former President Lee will not be an exception to the rule of law.
The size of the team is almost as big as the one the prosecution formed to investigate the Choi Soon-sil scandal. At that time, 32 prosecutors were assigned to the job until Park Young-soo took over later as special counsel.
The spy agency conducted an online smear campaign against then-liberal presidential candidate Moon Jae-in in the 2012 presidential election in order to help Park, who later became president. Many suspect Lee was behind the scheme.
The spy agency also created a blacklist of artists to cut off from state subsidies while he was president.
Lee was also at the center of the BBK stock price manipulation scandal, in which he allegedly siphoned off money in 2007. It reportedly caused 5,500 investors to lose about 100 billion won, but the prosecution concluded at that time he was not involved.