NIS Election Meddling

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The National Intelligence Service's alleged meddling in the 2012 presidential election will likely be re-investigated. The NIS has recently found and restored piles of hidden archives.

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"The National Intelligence Service branch offices must verify the candidates for the local elections." "Monitor the situation closely once candidate registration begins." These are remarks made by then-NIS chief Won Sei-hoon at high-ranking meetings in June 2009 and November 2011. They emphasize the National Intelligence Service's role in various elections. In December 2009, the NIS chief made even stronger demands regarding the media. He said that the role of intelligence authorities is to eliminate media organs that write wrong articles and punish them severely for their wrongdoings. The remarks of former NIS chief Won Sei-hoon were adopted as evidence at his Monday trial into a scandal caused by the NIS' online campaign against opposition groups during elections. Prosecutors investigating the case view these materials as decisive evidence to prove Won's intervention in elections. All eyes are on whether the disclosure of recorded materials will lead to a re-investigation of the NIS scandal. The recorded materials were mostly deleted back in 2013 before they were submitted to prosecutors, but they have all been restored since the new NIS chief took office, and a new taskforce was set up to eliminate deep-rooted irregularities. The taskforce is currently investigating 13 allegations of the NIS' meddling in elections, including a campaign of malicious online comments. The results of its probe will likely determine whether or not to re-investigate the NIS from scratch.