Presidential aide denies spying claims

The President's secretary for civil affairs Cho Kuk answers a lawmaker's question during a National Assembly steering committee meeting held Tuesday. / Yonhap

By Kim Bo-eun

Senior presidential secretary for civil affairs Cho Kuk denied allegations that Cheong Wa Dae spied on political opponents in an interpellation session at the National Assembly, Tuesday.

The denial came amid growing political offensives by conservative parties over the claims raised by Kim Tae-woo, a prosecution investigator who was part of a team under Cho's supervision.

Cho said Kim raised the illegal surveillance claims after being found to have been involved in corruption allegations in Cheong Wa Dae's internal probe, but opposition parties are taking advantage of him for political reasons. The prosecution is expected to indict Kim on corruption charges soon.

“The point in this case is that Kim is raising groundless allegations against Cheong Wa Dae, for which he worked, after his irregularities were found in his work. He is under a corruption investigation, no more no less,” Cho said.

Kim has claimed he received orders from Cheong Wa Dae to spy on private citizens.

His claims came as he faced disciplinary measures for seeking to influence a police investigation involving his acquaintance.

Presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok, who was questioned together with Cho, said the office of civil affairs is in charge of checking whether individuals are fit to serve as high-level government officials and oversee officials to prevent corruption.

“So reports about how senior-level officials of the government and affiliated institutions are doing is the duty of the office of civil affairs,” he said.

Cho said Kim referred to his duties as surveillance activities after it became certain he would face disciplinary measures, as a means to make it a political issue of bringing down the Moon Jae-in administration.

He denied allegations that his office drew up a blacklist of opponents of the President.

“We have strictly banned the surveillance of political opponents, from the beginning (of the administration),” he said.

Regarding the matter Moon on the same day said at a luncheon with leadership of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) that it was inappropriate for lawmakers to call Cho to the Assembly for questioning.

The main opposition Liberty Korea Party filed a complaint with the prosecution against Cho for alleged power abuse.

“As a defendant, I thought it was inappropriate that the secretary of civil affairs attended the Assembly's meeting,” he said, referring to it as “the opposition party's offensive.”