Anti-Moon former spy chief jailed in S. Korea

Seoul, Aug. 30: A former South Korean spy chief was jailed for four years on Wednesday for leading an online smear campaign against the man who is now President, Moon Jae-In, during the 2012 election in the country.

Won Sei-Hoon, who led the National Intelligence Service (NIS) from 2009 to 2013, orchestrated an illicit smear campaign to sway voters in favour of the then-ruling conservative party, the Seoul High Court said.

South Korea only fully embraced democracy in the 1990s and its intelligence services have long been accused of interfering in elections in favour of the incumbent authorities.

Moon lost the 2012 poll to Park Geun-Hye but was elected earlier this year after her impeachment over a corruption scandal.

He has vowed to reform the NIS to prevent it meddling in domestic politics and focus it more on collecting and analysing intelligence on North Korea and foreign affairs.