“Media Threw Me for Loop” Says NIS Director Kim

On September 9, in a press conference held at Cheong Wa Dae, director Kim Man-bok of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), who stirred up controversy by boasting about what he did to rescue Koreans kidnapped in Afghanistan, complained “The media is throwing me for a loop.”

He also said, “I have no intention whatsoever to run in the general election. I said this three times before the intelligence committee in the National Assembly.” What he said is a protest against the media which recently reported that he could run in the next year’s general election.

The NIS issued press releases to retort what GNP lawmaker Kim Tae-whan said the other day. “Director Kim invited 355 citizens from Gijang, his hometown, for an NIS tour. It is possible that he did that because he might run in the next general election,” said Kim. In the press release, Director Kim said, “With a simple application, any Korean citizen can visit the NIS. Since last June, we have stopped inviting Gijang citizens to the NIS because of complaints from politicians. Now, Gijang citizens complain that they are suffering from reverse discrimination.”

jin0619@donga.com