NIS scandal may force Park to act ahead of June 4 elections
By Kim Tae-gyu
National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Nam Jae-joon is a staunch and loyal supporter of President Park Geun-hye.
However, allegations that the NIS fabricated evidence against a man accused of spying for North Korea has, by many indications, landed the former Army chief of staff in hot water.
The circumstances prompt two questions: Whether the scandal will sway public opinion against Park ahead of the June 4 elections, and does she regard the spy master as expendable.
It remains to be seen how events will unfold, but already calls for Nam's head are increasing.
"I don't think that Nam was aware of the evidence faking incident or spearheaded it. But he would have led the NIS's problematic response to deal with the aftermath," said Prof. Shin Yul at Myongji University.
"Accordingly, I think that Nam must take responsibility and quit. The current scandal is different from previous controversies regarding the disclosure of the (Roh-Kim) summit minutes or allegations of intervening in the 2012 presidential election."
The NIS is under suspicion of providing an appeals court with forged Chinese immigration documents to prove that Yu Woo-sung, a North Korean defector who worked as a Seoul City official, was a spy for the Stalinist state.
China has stated that the documents are not authentic. A supposed informant identified as Kim tried to kill himself, leaving a note that he was paid by the NIS to produce the documents for the agency. He reportedly told investigators that it knew the documents were forged.
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) regards the current situation as a golden opportunity to get rid of Nam.
The NIS chief played a key role in botching an opposition play to pin Park down with allegations that she benefitted from the agency's alleged online smear campaign against opposition candidates to win the Dec. 19, 2012 election.
The ruling Saenuri Party by and large is defending Nam, although there are also some detractors calling for his resignation.
Rep. Lee Jae-oh of the Saenuri Party said, "It is right for a public servant to quit in order to take responsibility for an ongoing debacle."
"President Park made the right decision by expressing regret. Nam should leave his job as an appropriate response to Park's remarks," said Lee, who served as a top aide to Lee Myung-bak, Park's predecessor.
Lee was referring to Park's statement on the matter, Monday.
Hours after her comments, prosecutors raided NIS headquarters to seize computer hard drives and confidential documents. In April last year, prosecutors searched the agency in connection with an investigation into allegations of meddling in the election. Park denied any NIS help and no link was proven.
Prior to these events, the NIS went out of its way to issue an apology Sunday.
Now liberal newspapers are raising questions about this rapid succession of moves, speculating that they were coordinated to preempt further scrutiny of the agency.
The NIS disclosed transcripts of the 2007 inter-Korean summit to further stoke speculation that the late former President Roh Moo-hyun acted subserviently, and offered to compromise the U.N.-recognized Northern Limit Line as the western sea border between the two Koreas.
This revelation dampened the opposition's efforts to focus on allegations interfering in the election.
Will the NIS make another disclosure to turn around its fortunes? This remains to be seen.
By Kim Tae-gyu
 |
| NIS Director Nam Jae-joon |
However, allegations that the NIS fabricated evidence against a man accused of spying for North Korea has, by many indications, landed the former Army chief of staff in hot water.
The circumstances prompt two questions: Whether the scandal will sway public opinion against Park ahead of the June 4 elections, and does she regard the spy master as expendable.
It remains to be seen how events will unfold, but already calls for Nam's head are increasing.
"I don't think that Nam was aware of the evidence faking incident or spearheaded it. But he would have led the NIS's problematic response to deal with the aftermath," said Prof. Shin Yul at Myongji University.
"Accordingly, I think that Nam must take responsibility and quit. The current scandal is different from previous controversies regarding the disclosure of the (Roh-Kim) summit minutes or allegations of intervening in the 2012 presidential election."
The NIS is under suspicion of providing an appeals court with forged Chinese immigration documents to prove that Yu Woo-sung, a North Korean defector who worked as a Seoul City official, was a spy for the Stalinist state.
China has stated that the documents are not authentic. A supposed informant identified as Kim tried to kill himself, leaving a note that he was paid by the NIS to produce the documents for the agency. He reportedly told investigators that it knew the documents were forged.
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) regards the current situation as a golden opportunity to get rid of Nam.
The NIS chief played a key role in botching an opposition play to pin Park down with allegations that she benefitted from the agency's alleged online smear campaign against opposition candidates to win the Dec. 19, 2012 election.
The ruling Saenuri Party by and large is defending Nam, although there are also some detractors calling for his resignation.
Rep. Lee Jae-oh of the Saenuri Party said, "It is right for a public servant to quit in order to take responsibility for an ongoing debacle."
"President Park made the right decision by expressing regret. Nam should leave his job as an appropriate response to Park's remarks," said Lee, who served as a top aide to Lee Myung-bak, Park's predecessor.
Lee was referring to Park's statement on the matter, Monday.
Hours after her comments, prosecutors raided NIS headquarters to seize computer hard drives and confidential documents. In April last year, prosecutors searched the agency in connection with an investigation into allegations of meddling in the election. Park denied any NIS help and no link was proven.
Prior to these events, the NIS went out of its way to issue an apology Sunday.
Now liberal newspapers are raising questions about this rapid succession of moves, speculating that they were coordinated to preempt further scrutiny of the agency.
The NIS disclosed transcripts of the 2007 inter-Korean summit to further stoke speculation that the late former President Roh Moo-hyun acted subserviently, and offered to compromise the U.N.-recognized Northern Limit Line as the western sea border between the two Koreas.
This revelation dampened the opposition's efforts to focus on allegations interfering in the election.
Will the NIS make another disclosure to turn around its fortunes? This remains to be seen.
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