NIS FILES CHARGES AGAINST FMR. CHIEFS

[Anchor Lead]

The National Intelligence Service filed charges against two of its former chiefs over their handling of separate incidents with North Korea during the previous liberal administration. Park Jie-won is accused of destroying intelligence reports related to the 2020 death of a South Korean fisheries official. Suh Hoon is accused of prematurely closing an investigation into the repatriation of North Korean fishermen.

[Pkg]

The National Intelligence Service issued a statement and announced that it reported two of its former chiefs to the prosecution on various charges including violating laws related to operating the agency. The NIS accused former Director Park Jie-won of destroying intel reports about North Korea's fatal shooting of a South Korean fisheries official in 2020. According to an NIS official, Park's deletion of important reports in the process of a review was confirmed. he intel agency also brought charges against another former chief Suh Hoon over the 2019 repatriation of North Korean fishers captured in South Korean waters. Suh is accused of forcibly closing an investigation into the repatriation. The NIS indicated that the accusations were also filed against other NIS staff. here are also allegations that high-ranking officials ordered their subordinates to write reports that differ from the results of investigations. Park Jie-won denied the accusations against him, accusing the NIS of making up stories that don't make sense. He said the original sources of the intel reports would have not been destroyed even if he had deleted them. Park also criticized the agency for hurriedly filing charges against the former directors without investigations and notices. He called it a move to use national security as an excuse to falsely accuse former officials. Suh Hoon who is reportedly residing in the U.S. did not reveal his stance on the situation.