'Political Manipulation' Won Se-hoon Sentenced to 9 Years Imprisonment and 7 Years Disqualification in Retrial... "Sentence Increased by 2 Years"

Former National Intelligence Service Director Won Se-hoon [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Former National Intelligence Service Director Won Se-hoon, whose charge of abuse of authority was partially overturned and remanded by the Supreme Court, was sentenced to 9 years in prison in the retrial, an increase of 2 years from the original sentence.

On the 17th, the Seoul High Court Criminal Division 1-2 (Presiding Judge Eom Sangpil, Judges Shim Dam and Lee Seungryeon) sentenced former Director Won, who was indicted on charges including special law violations causing loss to the national treasury and abuse of authority, to 9 years in prison and 7 years of disqualification, recognizing some abuse of authority charges as guilty in accordance with the Supreme Court's ruling. This is an increase from the previous sentence of 7 years in prison and 5 years of disqualification handed down by the second trial before the remand.

Previously, former Director Won was tried for operating a civilian comment squad using the NIS budget, using the budget to verify rumors of misconduct involving the late Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, and delivering 200 million won in special activity funds from the NIS as bribes to former President Lee Myung-bak and former lawmaker Lee Sang-deuk. He was also charged with 13 counts of abuse of authority, including ordering NIS employees to follow Mrs. Kwon Yang-sook and the late former Mayor Park Won-soon.

The first trial sentenced former Director Won to 7 years in prison and 7 years of disqualification, and the second trial sentenced him to 7 years in prison and 5 years of disqualification. In March, the Supreme Court ruled that the NIS's abuse of authority should be judged by a stricter standard and overturned the second trial's partial acquittal on abuse of authority charges, remanding the case with a guilty verdict.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.