NIS chief nominee vows neutrality
Suh Hoon undergoes Assembly hearing
Suh Hoon, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) director nominee, vowed Monday to investigate the spy agency’s involvement in a smear campaign against then-candidate Moon Jae-in in the run-up to the 2012 presidential election.
Suh said in a confirmation hearing that shedding light on the scandal is part of his plan to regain public confidence for the scandal-ridden agency.
“It might need a cautious approach as the scandal is still being reviewed in court but I believe further investigation is needed separately to get to know the truth,” he said, suggesting an internal probe under his leadership.
Suh, the former NIS deputy director, said he is determined the agency will be politically neutral and will stay out of domestic politics.
“The NIS is not a body designed to protect the government. Due to the controversy over political involvement, its confidence is being undermined, which could lead to a security risk,” he said. “I will make sure it is completely separated from domestic politics.”
The intelligence agency has long been suspected of using its capabili- ties to meddle in local politics in favor of the ruling bloc.
A group of NIS agents posted comments online favorable to the then Saenuri Party presidential candidate Park Geun-hye in an attempt to sway voters’ opinion ahead of the 2012 election.
The Seoul High Court convicted Won Sei-hoon, then NIS chief, on charges of violating the Election Law, sentencing him to a three-year prison term in February, 2015.
But the Supreme Court annulled the decision and returned the case to the high court later in the year when Park was still in power.
Park’s successor Moon Jae-in pledged to reform the agency to focus on overseas operations. He also vowed to redirect the NIS’s authority to probe cases violating the National Security Act to the prosecution.
In line with Moon’s position, Suh stressed that the agency’s role should be limited so as not to abuse its power.
“I promise I will ban the NIS from snooping on citizens,” he said. “That said, it does not mean that the agency will be idle in collecting domestic intelligence for national security.”
President Moon tapped Suh, a professor of North Korea Studies at Ewha Womans University, who devised a diplomacy and security agenda during his presidential campaign as the chief of the nation’s top spy agency on May 10.
His appointment does not require the Assembly’s consent, but is subject to a parliamentary hearing.
Suh worked at the NIS between 1980 and 2008 and reportedly played a critical role in realizing the inter-Korean summit in 2000.
The nominee said, though no specifics came up, he discussed a plan to hold a summit of Korean leaders with Moon during the presidential campaign.
Opposition parties grilled Suh over some ethical issues but it was done in a more moderate tone compared to the previous hearing for Prime Minister nominee Lee Nak-yon.
Suh was accused of receiving excessive payment for his advisory role from KT Skylife, a satellite TV company. Opposition lawmakers took issue with the fact that he earned a monthly payment of 10 million won ($8,930) for nine months from April 2012.
Suh implied it was a fair fee considering his role in getting the company prepared to enter the North Korean market, saying it was when South Korean companies’ expectations were high on inter-Korean economic cooperation.