hankyoreh

NIS Director

By Jung Hwan-bong, staff reporter

National Intelligence Service documents have surfaced showing director Won Sei-hoon, 62, ordering his employees to interfere directly in national politics.

With the documents containing wording similar to that found in materials drafted by a 29-year-old NIS employee - identified by the surname Kim - who is currently being investigated by police for online manipulations of public opinion during last December‘s presidential election, questions are being raised about Won possibly being the one who ordered Kim’s activities.

The police could now broaden their investigation to include Won and the rest of the NIS. The National Intelligence Service Act strictly bars the organization from any involvement in domestic politics.

The documents, acquired on Mar. 17 by way of Democratic United Party lawmaker Jin Sun-mee, are titled “An Order and Highlights from the Director.” They include a number of orders and requests calling for political interference, including manipulating public opinion ahead of the presidential election, increased efforts by Kim’s psychological warfare team to win over younger people, efforts to combat criticisms of the government by religious groups, and a public opinion campaign on behalf of state efforts such as the Four Major Rivers project.

Some of the content also suggests that even senior employees pressured the government to suppress the Korean Teachers and Education Workers’ Union (KTU) and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU).

According to accounts from current and former employees who agreed to speak to the Hankyoreh, the “Order and Highlights” documents are sent to all staff members. They summarize statements made by Won at an expanded monthly meeting of division directors from the organization’s head offices and regional branches. The documents received represented a portion of the orders issued by Won between May 2009, just after he took office, and November 2012.

One of the messages was posted on Nov. 18, 2011, just after the Oct. 26 by-election that saw Park Won-soon elected Mayor of Seoul. “Malicious falsehoods having major impact on election,” it reads. “Can’t change outcome once election is over, so NIS must do its part. Preemptive action especially needed with pro-North Koreans taking advantage of election to divide public by spreading falsehoods via Twitter, etc.”

The message suggests that the organization attempted to influence public opinion on the internet and social media during an election. Combating the spreading of falsehoods during an election is the exclusive prerogative of the National Election Commission, with no legal basis existing for the NIS to get involved.

Another directive from July 19, 2010, reads, “Regarding ideas from psychological campaign team for strengthening efforts toward young people, remember that the content is something our organization [the NIS] will have to carry out.” The message shares some ties with employee Kim‘s prolific activity on online community sites frequented by young people, including Today’s Humor, Bobae Dream, and Ppomppu.

On Nov. 18, 2011, Won was quoted as saying, “Regarding purge of pro-North Koreans, it is tougher to fight internal enemies like the KCTU and KTU than North Korea, so I’d like to see local chiefs cooperating directly with the presiding organization heads to make sure punishments happen, rather than handing things off to employees.”

A message from Mar. 19, 2010, reads, “Need efforts to address certain religious groups ignoring their proper place and focusing on political activity.”

Jin said she acquired the documents through a “trustworthy source.”

“If these are accurate, then we definitely need to crack down on the NIS committing crimes that corrupt national morals through improper political involvement,” she said.

An NIS spokesperson said they could not confirm materials posted on the organization’s intranet.

“I can’t even confirm or deny their existence,” the spokesperson said.

Several similarities were detected between Won’s messages and messages posted by Kim on the site Today’s Humor. Her messages also contained criticisms of opponents to the building of a naval base on Jeju Island, praise for former President Lee Myung-bak’s overseas tours, and characterizations of opposition politicians as “pro-North Korea.” The similarities support claims that she acted according to the NIS chief’s orders.

The presence of so many similarities between Won’s orders and Kim’s posts is also fueling suspicions that the NIS systematically orchestrated a campaign to favor the ruling Saenuri (NFP) party during the last presidential election.

Immediately after the Hankyoreh reported in January about Park’s politically biased messages on Today’s Humor, the NIS said that they were part of a “normal anti-North Korean psychological campaign.” It later reversed its position and said Kim had posted the messages “independently.”

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