Ex-NIS Chief Summoned

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Prosecutors have summoned former National Intelligence Service Director Lee Byung-kee. Lee is only the latest of three former NIS head to be summoned over allegations that the spy agency provided roughly four billion won to former President Park Geun-hye from its special activities funds.

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Former National Intelligence Service Director Lee Byung-kee was summoned by the prosecution at 9:30 a.m. on Monday. He is being treated as a suspect for
allegations that he was involved in the spy agency's provision of approximately four billion won of funds marked for special activities to former President Park Geun-hye. He is the last of the three former NIS chiefs to be summoned for allegedly having direct involvement in the scandal. Prosecutors will focus their questioning of Lee on why the monthly provision of special activities funds jumped from 50 million won to one-hundred million won when Nam Jae-joon was heading the spy agency. Prosecutors are especially taking note of the fact that Lee became the Presidential Chief of Staff for Park after he retired as NIS director in February 2015. They will grill Lee on if there was a link between the provision of special activities funds and his appointment as presidential chief of staff. He will also be questioned about if Park's presidential office asked for the funds and if his predecessor, Nam Jae-joon, informed him of the money provision. Previously, prosecutors questioned Nam and Lee Byung-ho who served as the first and third NIS directors under the Park Geun-hye government. The two are known to have stated that the spy agency provided special activities funds at the request of the presidential office. Prosecutors are planning to seek arrest warrants for the three former NIS heads as soon as they wrap up the questioning of Lee Byung-kee. They will also decide on when and how to question the ousted president, which may involve questioning her at the detention center where she is being held.