Prosecutors Demand More Information from National Intelligence Service

The Special Investigation Department of the Seoul District Public Prosecutors’ Office Prosecutors received audit information from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) yesterday about “K,” who worked for the Anti-Corruption Task Force under the NIS as a fifth-level public official. He reviewed data related to the real estate holdings of Kim Jae-jeong, the former Seoul mayor’s brother-in-law, through the networks of the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs.

The information reportedly contains data investigated by the NIS regarding Kim’s real estate possession; whether K printed out this information; whether he reported to his superiors or leaked them; and K’s e-mail and phone records.

Prosecutors will ask for more information from the NIS and subpoena K soon as it has been difficult to put to rest suspicions surrounding K using only the information sent by the NIS so far.

Today, prosecutors called in Kim Yeon-ho, a lawyer for the GNP, who asked the NIS to investigate a case related to Lee Sang-eop, the former deputy director for domestic affairs at the National Intelligence Service.

Kim said, “I submitted evidence that the NIS, by forming the Anti-Corruption Task Force, gathered information related to real estate dealings of former mayor Lee Myung-bak and his relatives and leaked them. The information collected by the NIS was accessible only by an intelligence agency, and was gathered in a very systematic manner.”

Nine members of the “Anti-Conspiracy People’s Protest Commission” at the GNP, including Ahn Sang-soo, made a visit to the Supreme Public Prosecutors’ Office and asked to talk to Jeong Sang-myeong, Attorney General, to call for a swift investigation. However, Jeong refused to meet them, saying, “Meeting lawmakers from the party that asked for an investigation can seem biased to others.”

Ahn said, “Prosecutors should seize and search the NIS headquarters if they have the will to conduct a prompt and fair investigation, and to prevent the destruction of evidence.”

Meanwhile, prosecutors interrogated “Kim,” one of the shareholders of “DAS,” yesterday to find out whether Lee Myung-bak owns DAS under a different person’s name. They also talked to some officials who are involved in designating areas in Cheonho-dong, Gangdong-gu, where Hongeun Planning, an affiliate of DAS, has high-rise residential-commercial complexes. The area was named a “balanced development promotion” district in December, 2005.

will71@donga.com