Lee will Revise the NIS Laws by Inflicting a Severe Punishment for Illegal Wiretappings

On the 2nd, Lee Hoi-chang, GNP`s presidential candidate, said with respect to the controversy over the wiretapping by the National Intelligence Service that if he is elected President, he will revise related laws of the National Intelligence Service which will stipulate a ban on the wiretapping with any political motivation by the NIS and thorough investigations and harsh punishments related to wiretapping cases.

GNP`s presidential candidate Lee held a hurriedly arranged press conference at Kim-hae airport in Busan. In the press conference, he said, “If the NIS continues its illegal practice of wiretappings under the name of gathering information related to national security, he will carry out an extensive reform with the aim of abolishing the NIS.” He also insisted that the National Assembly has to launch an immediate parliamentary investigation into the document related to the illegal wiretappings.

On top of that, he mentioned general sketches of the revision of the NIS laws. He is quoted as saying, “In the future, the NIS will conduct operations of overseas intelligence gathering to protect national interest, of the prevention of terrorists` act and of indirect investigations.” He also added, “The National Intelligence Service under the immediate control of the President will also be the subject of inspections of the Board of the Audit and Inspection and the control of the NIS will be strengthened by the National Intelligence Committee.”

Furthermore, Lee said with respect to the NIS wiretapping-related document released by the GNP, “He was shocked to find that such political maneuverings and public fabrications related to domestic affairs have taken place at the center of the government. And it is wrong for the MDP to accuse the GNP`s pure intention to get things wrong right for going ahead with a politically motivated allegation.” And also, he added, “The GNP will do its best to go to the bottom of the wiretapping case and punish those who related to the wiretappings severely in regardless of the upcoming election.”

Yeon-Wook Jung jyw11@donga.com