Lee Jaemyung: "I Was Also Targeted for Surveillance for Honoring President Roh Moohyun"
[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Youngkyu] Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jaemyung has called for the disclosure of undisclosed National Intelligence Service (NIS) "Jonan" files, stating that he himself was targeted for surveillance by the NIS during the Lee Myungbak administration simply because he delivered a eulogy for the late President Roh Moo-hyun.
On January 30, through his Facebook account, Governor Lee expressed his dismay, saying, "According to the NIS surveillance documents on me that were revealed on KBS's 'Current Affairs Direct' on Friday night (January 29), I became a surveillance target simply for supporting civic groups that criticized the Four Major Rivers Project during the Lee Myungbak administration. Even delivering a eulogy at the memorial event for the late President Roh Moo-hyun was reported as an example of 'acts undermining state affairs.'"
He continued, "Why was it that not only I, but also the act of honoring and delivering eulogies for a president loved by the people, became grounds for surveillance and were considered 'acts undermining state affairs'?" He further questioned, "How deep and widespread were the roots of this outrageous culture of privatizing public power?"
Governor Lee also pointed out the deep-rooted difficulties of "eradicating deep-seated evils" in South Korea.
He said, "It is easy to imagine how fiercely the vested interests in our society will resist the eradication of deep-seated evils being pursued by the Moon Jaein administration." He added, "Severely punishing and eradicating the 'sweet' custom of illegal surveillance, which was used to manipulate public opinion and intimidate individuals, requires unwavering courage and perseverance," acknowledging the challenging reality.
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He went on to say, "I am once again reminded of the principles and convictions of President Roh Moo-hyun, who refused to accept NIS intelligence reports." He argued, "Although the National Intelligence Service Act was passed at the end of last year, making it no longer possible to collect domestic intelligence, there are still many undisclosed Jonan files that must be fully disclosed and evaluated."
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