[Column] NIS Turns Its Blade on Former Directors

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The National Intelligence Service (NIS) has recently become a hot topic within the prosecution. On the 6th, the NIS filed complaints with the prosecution against former NIS directors Park Ji-won and Suh Hoon regarding the ‘West Sea Public Official Killing Incident’ and the ‘Forced Repatriation of Defector Fishermen Incident,’ respectively. They directly handed over their former superiors to the prosecution, asking for their punishment. During a voluntary submission search conducted on the 13th, the NIS kindly provided most of the materials requested by the prosecution. An internal investigation is also underway. It is known that even the ‘hotline’ used for phone calls between the South and North Korean leaders is being examined.

The NIS is a ‘secret agency’ that operates on loyalty to the nation, the people, and the organization. Since employees of such an institution have stepped forward to expose the wrongdoings of their superiors, curiosity about the background is inevitable.

Inside and outside the prosecution, the most common story is that NIS employees harbored ill feelings toward former directors Park Ji-won and Suh Hoon and sharpened their knives. These ill feelings reportedly arose from unfair work orders. For example, during internal meetings on important cases, senior Blue House officials attended without prior notice, or issues concerning defectors, which had been settled, were suddenly reversed at the last minute. Regarding the ‘Forced Repatriation of Defector Fishermen’ incident, NIS employees reportedly testified during prosecution investigations that “while conducting joint investigations on the fishermen, we were suddenly ordered to send them to North Korea, which was absurd.” All these accounts seem to be read in the same context. The full details will remain unknown until the prosecution announces its investigation results. However, the hardships endured by NIS employees who worked during the previous administration, which focused on fostering inter-Korean reconciliation, can be somewhat inferred. This incident also seems likely to continue the ‘NIS Director’s Tragic History.’ The directors of the NIS have never had peaceful retirements. Since its establishment as the Central Intelligence Agency in 1961, among the 35 who have served as NIS directors, one (Kim Hyung-wook) disappeared, one (Kim Jae-gyu) was executed, and 14 were sentenced to prison and served time behind bars.

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