(LEAD) Prosecution to indict ex-spy chief for alleged election meddling
SEOUL, June 11 (Yonhap) -- The prosecution said Tuesday it decided to indict a former chief of South Korea's main spy agency without physical detention on charges of meddling in last year's presidential election.
Won Sei-hoon, who headed the National Intelligence Service (NIS) for about four years until early this year, is suspected of ordering agents to post a slew of politically sensitive comments on the Internet in order to sway public opinion in favor of the ruling party candidate and critical of the opposition candidate prior to the Dec. 19 election.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office probing the case concluded that Won had systemically and extensively intervened in domestic politics, not only in violation of the law governing the status of NIS officials but also in violation of the Public Official Election Act.
Won could face heavier punishment if he is found guilty of violating the election law, which prohibits civil servants from intervening in domestic politics using their status.
The prosecution office, however, said Won will stand trial without physical detention.
The prosecution office also said it has decided to indict Kim Yong-pan, the former head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA), without physical detention on suspicions that he had hampered a police probe into the scandal.
Kim is accused of abusing his authority by pressuring a police investigation team not to delve too deeply into the case, it said. Kim is also accused of violating the Police Officers Act and the Public Official Election Act.
"We have decided to indict (Won and Kim) without physical detention considering the criminal charges and that the statue of limitations is imminent," a prosecution official close to the investigation said.
Accusations of wrongdoing by NIS agents surfaced during the presidential election campaign.
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) accused the agency of trying to influence online debates in favor of President Park Geun-hye, the ruling party's candidate at the time. She eventually won the election in February.
On April 18, Seoul's Suseo Police Station, which investigated the case for four months, announced that at least two NIS agents allegedly posted comments online criticizing the political opposition ahead of the election.
But police said they could not determine whether the two were part of a much bigger operation by the leadership of the agency to influence the election, as the DP alleged.
Kwon Eun-hee, the lead investigator on the case who had been replaced in the middle of the investigation, claimed a day later that her bosses from the SMPA had intervened in an effort to whitewash the inquiry.
Prosecutors have since taken over the case and concluded that the former intelligence chief had given orders to the agents or been briefed about the agents' alleged activities.
Citing proof that the NIS had posted comments using more than hundreds of IDs, the prosecution office believes that Won had attempted to influence the election, they added.
Won, who is a close aide of former President Lee Myung-bak and was barred from leaving the country pending investigation, has twice undergone prosecution questioning in connection with the case.
During the first round of questioning, Won reportedly denied the charges against him, claiming that there was nothing illegal about the agency's operations.
The outcome of the prosecution's probe comes nearly two months after the prosecution office had created a special investigative team to look into the scandal that rocked the country.
"The decision was delayed as it was a difficult case to judge relevant proof that needed a further inquiry," the official said.
However, the opposition DP has accused Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn of blocking prosecutors from charging the former NIS chief with violating the election law and letting Won stand trial without detention.
The minister has denied the allegations.
The prosecution office said it will announce other investigative results on Thursday or sometime next week regarding suspicions that the former NIS agents handed over private information and informed the DP of the agency's alleged political intervention.
Separately, Won is also facing a prosecution probe over his alleged personal corruption.
He is suspected of accepting bribes from a small-sized construction firm in return for using his office to help it win a construction project.
The prosecution office seized documents reportedly containing a list of gifts, including luxury bags, clothes and gold worth tens of millions of won, given to Won by Hwang Bo-yeon, head of now-bankrupt Hwangbo Construction, they said.
Hwang, who is in detention pending trial for embezzlement and fraud, allegedly provided the gifts to clinch a major construction project by a state-run corporation, the Korea Forest Service (KFS), according to officials.
The prosecution office believes that Won pressured the KFS to help Hwang, officials said.
Won formerly served as first vice-mayor for Seoul when former President Lee was its mayor. He played a leading role in Lee's major projects such as the restoration of Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul, the redevelopment of run-down residential areas, and the restructuring of the public transportation system.
Won also served as minister of public administration and security in the Lee administration.
Won Sei-hoon, who headed the National Intelligence Service (NIS) for about four years until early this year, is suspected of ordering agents to post a slew of politically sensitive comments on the Internet in order to sway public opinion in favor of the ruling party candidate and critical of the opposition candidate prior to the Dec. 19 election.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office probing the case concluded that Won had systemically and extensively intervened in domestic politics, not only in violation of the law governing the status of NIS officials but also in violation of the Public Official Election Act.
Won could face heavier punishment if he is found guilty of violating the election law, which prohibits civil servants from intervening in domestic politics using their status.
The prosecution office, however, said Won will stand trial without physical detention.
The prosecution office also said it has decided to indict Kim Yong-pan, the former head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA), without physical detention on suspicions that he had hampered a police probe into the scandal.
Kim is accused of abusing his authority by pressuring a police investigation team not to delve too deeply into the case, it said. Kim is also accused of violating the Police Officers Act and the Public Official Election Act.
"We have decided to indict (Won and Kim) without physical detention considering the criminal charges and that the statue of limitations is imminent," a prosecution official close to the investigation said.
Accusations of wrongdoing by NIS agents surfaced during the presidential election campaign.
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) accused the agency of trying to influence online debates in favor of President Park Geun-hye, the ruling party's candidate at the time. She eventually won the election in February.
On April 18, Seoul's Suseo Police Station, which investigated the case for four months, announced that at least two NIS agents allegedly posted comments online criticizing the political opposition ahead of the election.
But police said they could not determine whether the two were part of a much bigger operation by the leadership of the agency to influence the election, as the DP alleged.
Kwon Eun-hee, the lead investigator on the case who had been replaced in the middle of the investigation, claimed a day later that her bosses from the SMPA had intervened in an effort to whitewash the inquiry.
Prosecutors have since taken over the case and concluded that the former intelligence chief had given orders to the agents or been briefed about the agents' alleged activities.
Citing proof that the NIS had posted comments using more than hundreds of IDs, the prosecution office believes that Won had attempted to influence the election, they added.
Won, who is a close aide of former President Lee Myung-bak and was barred from leaving the country pending investigation, has twice undergone prosecution questioning in connection with the case.
During the first round of questioning, Won reportedly denied the charges against him, claiming that there was nothing illegal about the agency's operations.
The outcome of the prosecution's probe comes nearly two months after the prosecution office had created a special investigative team to look into the scandal that rocked the country.
"The decision was delayed as it was a difficult case to judge relevant proof that needed a further inquiry," the official said.
However, the opposition DP has accused Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn of blocking prosecutors from charging the former NIS chief with violating the election law and letting Won stand trial without detention.
The minister has denied the allegations.
The prosecution office said it will announce other investigative results on Thursday or sometime next week regarding suspicions that the former NIS agents handed over private information and informed the DP of the agency's alleged political intervention.
Separately, Won is also facing a prosecution probe over his alleged personal corruption.
He is suspected of accepting bribes from a small-sized construction firm in return for using his office to help it win a construction project.
The prosecution office seized documents reportedly containing a list of gifts, including luxury bags, clothes and gold worth tens of millions of won, given to Won by Hwang Bo-yeon, head of now-bankrupt Hwangbo Construction, they said.
Hwang, who is in detention pending trial for embezzlement and fraud, allegedly provided the gifts to clinch a major construction project by a state-run corporation, the Korea Forest Service (KFS), according to officials.
The prosecution office believes that Won pressured the KFS to help Hwang, officials said.
Won formerly served as first vice-mayor for Seoul when former President Lee was its mayor. He played a leading role in Lee's major projects such as the restoration of Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul, the redevelopment of run-down residential areas, and the restructuring of the public transportation system.
Won also served as minister of public administration and security in the Lee administration.
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Won Sei-hoon (Yonhap File Photo)
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