Former NIS Chiefs Sentenced to Prison Again in Retrial for 'Special Activity Fund Bribery'

Former NIS Directors Lee Byung-ki, Nam Jae-joon, and Lee Byung-ho [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] Three former directors of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), who were indicted for providing special activity funds to the Blue House during the Park Geun-hye administration, were sentenced to prison in the retrial after remand.

The Seoul High Court Criminal Division 13 (Presiding Judge Koo Hoe-geun) on the afternoon of the 14th sentenced former NIS Director Nam Jae-joon to 1 year and 6 months in prison, and former directors Lee Byung-gi and Lee Byung-ho to 3 years and 3 years and 6 months in prison, respectively, in the retrial after remand on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (loss of state funds).

They were indicted for allegedly providing 600 million won, 800 million won, and 2.1 billion won, respectively, from the special activity funds allocated to the NIS director during their tenure to the side of former President Park Geun-hye. Former Director Nam was sentenced to 2 years in prison in the appellate trial, and former Directors Lee Byung-gi and Lee Byung-ho were each sentenced to 2 years and 6 months. This case was remanded following the Supreme Court's ruling that some charges of loss of state funds and bribery, which were acquitted in the first and second trials, should be judged as guilty.

Meanwhile, Lee Heon-su, former head of the NIS Planning Office, who was indicted for conspiring with them to deliver money to the Blue House, was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison, the same as before the retrial after remand.

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