NIS Election Meddling

[Anchor Lead]

Former National Intelligence Service chief Won Sei-hoon has been sentenced to four years in prison for the 2012 presidential election meddling scandal in which NIS agents posted online comments to sway public opinion. The court has ruled that posting online comments constituted illegal campaign activity. The court also said that NIS officials systematically interfered in elections.

[Pkg]

Former National Intelligence Service chief Won Sei-hoon, who served during the Lee Myung-bak administration, has been taken under court custody. The Seoul High Court has sentenced Won to four years in prison for violating the National Intelligence Service and Public Official Election acts. The judges have also concluded that National Intelligence Service officials meddled in various elections back in the 2012 and manipulated public opinion to affect the outcome of the elections. In its ruling the court said that the National Intelligence Service meddled in the presidential election to help a certain candidate, which was an unjust act that shocked the public, who believed in the political neutrality of the NIS as a public agency. Won Sei-hoon was first prosecuted in June 2013 for interfering in politics and elections by deploying NIS officials ahead of the 2012 presidential election. The Supreme Court sent the case back to the Seoul High Court because of the lack of evidence, while Won was released on bail. The former NIS chief says he refuses to accept the verdict and will appeal to the Supreme Court.