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Sunday, August 25, 2013

South Koreans protest alleged election interference

Policemen detain a student protester near the venue where President Park Geun-hye was attending celebrations observing the anniversary of Liberation Day, which marks the end of Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, in central Seoul August 15, 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

POLITICS

South Koreans protest alleged election interference

As a parliamentary investigation into alleged election interference by a state agency limps along, some South Koreans are protesting for their country’s democracy to finally come to full maturity.
Citizens continue to gather in cities across South Korea to protest a scandal that began as a covert attempt by a state agency to sway public opinion ahead of an election, but has grown into a larger debate over the state of the country's democracy.
The scandal revolves around actions allegedly taken by the state intelligence agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS), in the run-up to the presidential election in December of last year. The NIS is accused of having had its agents post thousands of comments in online message boards supporting ruling party candidate and eventual victor Park Geun-hye and disparaging her opponent, liberal candidate Moon Jae-in, as a shill for North Korea.
The protesters are seeking a thorough investigation of the scandal, a formal apology from President Park and for those responsible to be punished. Song Mi-rin, 23, a university student who came out to a protest in central Seoul on Friday, August 23, feels it's important for South Koreans to speak out on this issue: "The government did something wrong in this case, but they're trying to keep it quiet. Their silence won't solve anything," the student said.
Political interference
An important issue is that the NIS is meant to be an explicitly non-political organization and its agents are constitutionally barred from any political involvement.
South Koreans take part in a candle-light demonstration demanding resignation of South Korean President Park Geun-Hye and calling for reform of national spy agency in central Seoul August 14, 2013. According to local media reports, the spy agency's former chief Won Sei-hoon, who served under the regime of former President Lee Myung-Bak, was indicted on June 14, 2013 on charges of ordering an online smear campaign to sway public opinion in favor of the ruling Saenuri Party candidate Park Geun-hye before last December's presidential election, in violation of the country's election law. (Photo: Reuters)More than 100,000 people gathered for protests across the country
In June, Won Sei-hoon, who was NIS director at the time of the alleged infractions, was indicted on charges of orchestrating the online campaign, and former Seoul police commissioner Kim Yong-pan was accused of impeding early efforts to investigate the case. The two men are currently being questioned in parliament over possible involvement. At the beginning of the hearing, both men refused to take an oath swearing to tell the truth, and their uncooperative attitudes only fed the public's displeasure.
On August 15, Seoul police used a water cannon to disperse protesters who had rallied on National Liberation Day. Organizers estimated the crowd at 5,000; the police spoke of 3,500 demonstrators. Two days later, more than 100,000 people gathered for protests held simultaneously in several cities across the country.
Experts say that citizens have been motivated not just by the alleged online comments prior to last year's presidential election, but by the fact that these kinds of abuses of power have taken place many times in South Korean politics, and no lasting solution to them has yet been found. From the 1960s through to the late 1980s, South Korea was ruled by military dictatorships. There were many cases of leaders using state agencies, such as the police or intelligence services, to maintain the regime's power through the suspension of constitutionally guaranteed freedoms and other anti-democratic measures.
The protesters are demanding a reform of the agency involved in the latest scandal. "There needs to be real reform of the NIS and election violations need to end," said Kim Yong-min, a former journalist and current adjunct professor at Hanyang University. He added that many people are gathering out of worry and anger. "They worry that scandals like this will keep happening again and again."
A hushed response from the President
Park was inaugurated as South Korean president in February this year. Since the alleged events took place before she was elected, Park has argued that she is not responsible, and that it is the duty of parliament, not the president, to get to the bottom of the scandal. She has also said the alleged online comments wouldn't have been enough to sway the election, meaning she saw no political benefit and that the legitimacy of her government was not in question.
To many of the protesters, however, it is not the soundness of Park's reasoning that is at issue, but her refusal to make an apology or acknowledge the legitimacy of the protesters grievances.
Democratic deficit
South Korean President Park Geun-Hye delivers a speech duirng a ceremony marking the 68th anniversary of the liberation from the Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule, in Seoul on August 15, 2013. (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images)Park says the alleged online comments wouldn't have been enough to sway the election
The ongoing crisis indicates that in light of South Korea's impressive development, its anti-democratic legacy has still not been eradicated. "Despite having been democratic for more than two decades, South Korean democracy is in some ways still not fully mature. Many citizens feel like Park herself and her government don't have a firm commitment to governing in a democratic way," said Kim Soo-jin, a professor of political science at Ewha Womans University in Seoul.
"These protests are growing because people don't feel like they can trust politicians to maintain democracy. They feel like they have to go out and protect it themselves."

Friday, August 23, 2013

[South Korea NISgate 16 Suspicions and Truths]

[South Korea NISgate 16 Suspicions and Truths]

"Congressman ( Democratic Party) Jung Cheong-Rae’s Twitter post"

Hi. This is Jung Cheong-Rae.

The following are 16 suspicions and truths, although the tip of the iceberg, revealed through the ‘I don’t know’ answers of the witnesses and the sabotage by the Sae-Nu-Ri-Dang (New World Party) against the committee hearing.

1. There had been blog manipulation activities by the female agent of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), and the police have found the evidences; The police CCTV record of around 8 pm, December 14 (2012), shows that the police had found deleted ‘memo’ document files from the female NIA agent's laptop computer and retrieved from the restored files some 30 IDs, nicknames, passwords, and the internet community sites that the female NIS agent had visited.

2. The police were able to trace evidences of blog postings regardless of massive deletions of the blogs, and had continued analyzing the blogs until the afternoon of the 15th of December (2012); the police CCTV record of around 5:50 pm of the 15th shows that the police had identified the nicknames and blogs, and discussed further steps of confiscating the servers of the internet sites and analyzing them.

3. Destruction of the blog evidences and preparation for the fabricated news briefing were made right after the ‘suspicious lunch’ of Kim Yong-Pan and the police chief Kim Ki-Yong’s visit to the Cyber Detective Office of the Seoul Police around 8 pm on the 15th ; the police CCTV record of around 8:08 pm of the 15th shows that the police had began preparing to answer the predicted questions, and the records of around 11 pm shows the police employees uttering discontents and suspicions on their superiors changing the contents of their reports.

4. The telephone conversation records between the female NIS agent Kim Ha-Young and the police that had been dispatched to the scene in compliance to a 112 call reveal that the police let Kim Ha-Young know that the door way was clear for her to come out, but she didn’t come out. That was clear ‘self detention’.

5. The police investigation of the money transfer records revealed the NIS’s money streaming. The police found some $90,000 (\92,340,000) transferred to an account belonging to Lee, who had written blogs under the directions of NIA agents.

6. There is a strong suspicion that then Sae-Nu-Ri-Dang’s presidential candidate Park Geun-Hyae had prior knowledge of the fabricated interim news briefing about the investigation, which took place at 11 pm, Dec 16th, 2012 ; during the 3rd TV debate, which started at 8 pm, December 16th, the candidate Park Geun-Hyae mentioned “the question whether the female employee had written the blogs, even that has turned out without any evidence”, revealing that Park knew what was to be news briefed.

7. The enlarged Psycological Warfare Unit of NIS has been the result of a collaborative effort of former president Lee Myeong-Bak and former NIS chief Won Se-Hoon; According to current NIS chief Nam Jae-Jun’s NIS status report on August 15th (2013), former president Lee Myeong-Bak approved and ratified an enlargement of the Psychological Warfare Unit, and former NIA chief Won Se-Hoon executed the enlargement.

8. During the 1st hearing on the 16th (of August, 2013) for an investigation into the administration, the Sae-Nu-Ri-Dang took the role of the defender for the two criminals Won Se-Hoon and Kim Yong-Pan and protected them with all efforts; this reveals that Sae-Nu-Ri-Dang was the actual partner in crime in the national disgrace by the NIS.

9. As witnesses, Won Se-Hoon and Kim Yong-Pan brazenly refused to take the witness’s oath in front of the nation, turning the ‘Won-Pan’ hearing into an ‘Iron-Pan’ hearing. This was clear contempt of the congress and disrespect for the people, which would be recounted as an example to be avoided in every investigation and hearing.

10. The suspicious lunch of Kim Yong-Pan on December 15th (2012) has come into important newly suspicious light in relation to the police’s reduced investigations and cover-ups; why and with whom the former police chief Kim Yong-Pan had that lunch, we and the people should continue to look for an answer.

11. It was confirmed that Kwon Young-Se, then chief of Park Geun-Hyae election camp field monitoring paired with then NIS chief Won Se-Hoon, and that then police chief Kim Yong-Pan paired with Park Won-Dong chief of the Information for National Advantage Office of NIS; in the 1st hearing of the 16th (of August, 2013) the former chief Won Se-Hoon acknowledged that he had talked on the phone on the 11th and 13th of December, 2012, with Kwon Young-Se, then chief of Park Geun-Hyae election camp field monitoring; in the 2nd hearing of the 19th, Park Won-Dong chief of the Information for National Advantage Office acknowledged that he had talked on the phone on the 16th of December last year with Kim Yong-Pan then chief of the Seoul office of the Police Department.

12. Kim Moo-Seong then chief of the election headquarters and Kwon Young-Se then chief of the field monitoring for Park Geun-Hyae election camp violated the election laws by illegally releasing secret national records to influence the election, which were equivalent to the 3.15 election malpractice (which led to eventual oust of a former president Rhee Seung-Man).

13. The two chiefs Won Se-Hoon and Kim Yong-Pan have been prosecuted, but other individuals involved have not. This was unconstitutional and left a bad example of penalizing only the boss of the organized crime and not the henchmen.

14. In the 2nd hearing of the 19th, the testimony of the witness Kwon Eun-Hee then chief of investigations at Soo-Seo Police revealed that Kim Yong-Pan lied in the hearing; she made it clear that on December 12th last year when she was investigating the suspicion of NIS’s involvement in the presidential election she received the unjustifiable direction of Kim Yong-Pan then chief of the police ordering not to seize and search the officetel where the female NIS agent stayed; she made it clear that “I called only to encourage” (Kim’s words) was a lie.

15. Sae-Nu-Ri-Dang argued that former NIS agent Kim Sang-Wook and Jung Ki-Seong secretly followed Kim Ha-Young, but this turned out to be an argument without substance based on manipulated evidences and not real evidences; the NIS CCTV confirmed that Kim Sang-Wook and Jung Ki-Seong departed earlier than Kim Ha-Young, rather than secretly following her; that the NIS gave the NIS CCTV records only to the congressmen of Sae-Nu-Ri-Dang and not also to those of Min-Ju-Dang reflects the NIS and Sae-Nu-Ri-Dang being the co-conspirators.

16. The interim news briefing of the police investigation at 11 pm, on December 16th (2012), was performed solely by the Seoul Police without any prior consultation with Kwon Eun-Hee then chief of the investigations at Soo-Seo Police, who was actually responsible for the investigation. The chief of the investigations Kwon Eun-Hee was simply notified without any information about the contents of the briefing at 10:42 pm, 18 minutes before the news briefing. It was not a speedy investigation, but a briefing of speedy fabrication.

The truth shall overcome the falsehood.
The people shall overcome the political power.
In the end, the candle lights shall overcome.

Translated by F4VR Newspress Team



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Saturday, August 17, 2013

South Koreans take part in a candle-light demonstration demanding resignation of South Korean President Park Geun-Hye

Friday, August 16, 2013

Ex-NIS, Seoul police chiefs grilled at parliamentary hearing

Ex-NIS, Seoul police chiefs grilled at parliamentary hearing

Two refuse to take oath, deny allegations over election interference


Former chiefs of the National Intelligence Service and Seoul police took a battering from lawmakers Friday in a parliamentary hearing over their involvement in a smear campaign against the opposition during last year’s presidential election and subsequent cover-up attempts. 

Opposition lawmakers slammed Won Sei-hoon, former NIS head, and Kim Yong-pan, former commissioner of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, pushing them to open up about the scandal. 

They denied all allegations and traded harsh words with the lawmakers.

“I deny all accusations by the prosecution,” Won said during a second-round of hearings held in the afternoon.

Former National Intelligence Service Director Won Sei-hoon (left) and former Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Kim Yong-pan attend a parliamentary hearing on Friday. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)


Both attended the session only after the National Assembly issued an order of accompaniment in response to defiance to previous summons.

As the session opened, they refused to take an oath, saying their testimonies could negatively affect ongoing court trials.

They have been indicted on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act. 

Won is accused of ordering NIS agents to engage in an online smear campaign to sway public opinion in favor of President Park Geun-hye, while Kim is alleged to have been behind the lukewarm police investigation into the case. Won is currently detained by the prosecution over a separate bribery case.

“Because of this incident, (I have) an ongoing criminal trial as well as the parliamentary investigation at the same time,” Kim said at the beginning of the hearing in the morning. “I chose not to take oath in concern of my testimony being distorted and misinterpreted through the media and that affecting (my) trial,” he said.

Rep. Park Young-sun of the main opposition Democratic Party bashed Kim that his refusal to take an oath was an “insult to the people” and shows his intention to “lie to the people.” 

But Rep. Kim Jin-tae of the ruling Saenuri Party countered that the parliament has to “guarantee witnesses’ basic human rights.”

Though not illegal, it is the first time that a witness has refused to take an oath before a parliamentary testimony.

Asked of NIS’ alleged meddling in the election, the former head of the intelligence agency said the comments posted online by its agents were a part of “anti-North Korea psychological warfare” and not to interfere in the election. 

Won also claimed that the NIS agents posting comments on state affairs were conducted even during the Roh Moo-hyun government when he pushed ahead with a free trade agreement between Korea and the United States.

Kim also selectively answered lawmakers’ questions and denied all accusations made by the prosecution against him.

The prosecution indicted Kim in June, saying that he allegedly pressured a police team at Suseo Police Station in southern Seoul investigating the NIS agents last year to hurriedly announce an interim result days before the election, clearing the agents of charges of smear campaigning. 

The district police said on Dec. 16, only three days before the presidential election, that no evidence of political interference by the agents had been found. 

Kim said he did not believe that the police made a false report at that time. 


By Cho Chung-un
(christory@heraldcorp.com)

Ex-Seoul police chief refuses to swear at parliamentary hearing

A former Seoul police chief accused of meddling in last year's presidential election refused to take an oath at a parliamentary hearing Friday, citing an ongoing trial on the case.

Kim Yong-pan is one of two key witnesses in a parliamentary probe into allegations that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) conducted an online smear campaign to sway public opinion in favor of the ruling Saenuri Party ahead of December's presidential election.

Kim, the then Seoul police chief, has been accused of reducing the scope of a police investigation into the scandal and whitewashing its results.

The other key witness is former NIS chief Won Sei-hoon, who allegedly ordered the online smear campaign. Both were indicted in June on charges of interfering in the election.

"Due to this incident, a criminal trial is going on at the same time as the parliamentary investigation," Kim said at the beginning of the hearing after refusing to take the oath.

"If the truth of my testimony is distorted or misinterpreted in the process of being disclosed through the press, this could affect (my) trial."

Under the country's law, witnesses standing trial can refuse to give testimony in parliament if they believe that will have a negative influence on their trials.

Still, Kim began to answer lawmakers' questions selectively, denying all the allegations against him.

Meanwhile, Won is expected to appear before the parliamentary investigative committee later in the day, said Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, the first vice floor leader of the ruling party, in a phone call with Yonhap News Agency. (Yonhap News)

Saturday, August 10, 2013

100,000 Citizen Demonstration Rally with candles in Seoul Square, Korea for illegal Presidential Election in 2012.

100,000 Citizen Demonstration Rally with candles in Seoul 

Square,Korea 

on August 10, 2013 for illegal Presidential Election in 2012.

Most Koreans want President Elect Ms. G. H. Park to "STEP 

DOWN NOW".


http://youtu.be/X0gCF3R-r9I



사진 : 권우성 유성호 기자

기사 관련 사진
▲ 서울광장은 '촛불의 바다' 10일 오후 서울시청앞 서울광장에서 국정원 대선개입 규탄 제5차 범국민대회가 열린 가운데 수만명의 시민들이 촛불을 들고 참여하고 있다.
ⓒ 권우성

기사 관련 사진
▲ 국정원 규탄 범국민대회, '민주주의 회복' 10일 오후 서울 중구 서울시청앞 광장에서 열린 '국정원 정치공작 대선개입 규탄 제6차 범국민대회'에서 참가자들이 국정원의 대선개입을 규탄하며 '민주주의'라고 적힌 대형 현수막을 펼치고 있다.
ⓒ 유성호


서울의소리 기사입력 2013/08/11 [03:37]
서울시 구청사 앞 왼쪽 환한 부분은 민주당 천막당사



















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*따끈따끈한.. 2013. 8. 10. 국정원 규탄 촛불대회 사진들입니다. 
*광우병 미국소 관련 촛불사진은 단 1장도 없습니다.
촛불... 횃불로  활활!!






















세계가 대한민국을 주목!!!



 















































대한민국 민주주의 

촛불... 횃불로  활활활!!

모두, 100%, 따끈따끈한...

닭 규탄 8.10 촛불대첩 사진들입니다.