Politics
20:03, 30-Aug-2017
S. Korea's ex-spy chief jailed for election meddling
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A former S. Korean spy chief was jailed for four years Wednesday for leading an online smear campaign against the man who is now president, Moon Jae-in, during the 2012 election.
Won Sei-hoon, who led the National Intelligence Service (NIS) from 2009 to 2013, orchestrated an illicit smear campaign to sway voters in favor of the then-ruling conservative party, the Seoul High Court said.
S. Korea only fully embraced democracy in the 1990s and its intelligence services have long been accused of interfering in elections in favor of the incumbent authorities.
S. Korea's President Moon Jae-in speaks during a press conference marking his first 100 days in office at the presidential house in Seoul on August 17, 2017. /AFP Photo
S. Korea's President Moon Jae-in speaks during a press conference marking his first 100 days in office at the presidential house in Seoul on August 17, 2017. /AFP Photo
Moon lost the 2012 poll to Park Geun-hye but was elected earlier this year after her impeachment over a corruption scandal.
He has vowed to reform the NIS to prevent it meddling in domestic politics and focus it more on collecting and analyzing intelligence on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and foreign affairs.
Won had violated the political neutrality of the NIS by "spreading pro-government opinions through online postings," the Seoul High Court said in its ruling.
Two other former NIS officials convicted of colluding with Won were given suspended sentences.
Wednesday's ruling was the latest stage in a long-running legal saga.
Won was first convicted in 2014 but only given a suspended sentence. Both sides appealed and the high court imposed a three-year term, only for the Supreme Court to overturn that decision and send it back for re-hearing.
New evidence emerged in the meantime, the high court said, resulting in the longer penalty.
Source(s): AFP