NIS Assistant Director Kim Eun-sung Arrested

The investigation team of the Seoul Central District Public Prosecutors’ Office handling the National Intelligence Agency or NIS (the former National Security Planning Agency) eavesdropping case, is investigating circumstances surrounding the assistant director of domestic affairs at the NIS under the Kim Dae-jung administration.

Kim Eun-sung, the assistant director, allegedly supervised and organized the eavesdropping, and reported the acquired information to vested interests at the time.

Kim was arrested at his house in Bundang-gu, Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province on October 6 and is currently under investigation. He will be served an arrest warrant on charges of violation of the Telecommunications Security Protection Act as early as October 7.

Prosecutors are also searching his house for any leaked documents on eavesdropping or leaks proving his report to the vested interests at the time.

An official from the Prosecutors’ Office said, “It was found out that assistant director Kim was involved in a broad and organized eavesdropping effort for a long period of time and encouraged his subordinates to participate in it, which is almost an order from him.”

Based on the fact that Kim had collusive ties with the major political circles under the Kim Dae-jung administration, it is highly likely that he reported the eavesdropped information to them.

Prosecutors are planning to summon the NIS director during the Kim Dae-jung administration for investigation soon, and will then investigate the major politicians of that time.

woogija@donga.com