NIS Chief Absent... 'US Wiretapping' National Assembly Intelligence Committee Report Fails

The National Intelligence Service's briefing on the U.S. intelligence agency wiretapping allegations to the National Assembly Intelligence Committee was aborted on the 20th. Although the meeting was convened at the sole request of the Democratic Party members, the ruling and opposition parties only exchanged disputes as Kim Kyu-hyun, the head of the National Intelligence Service, was absent.

Yoo Sang-beom, the ruling party's secretary from the People Power Party, was the only ruling party member to attend the Intelligence Committee plenary session that day. He stated, "Until now, the agenda has been decided through consultations between the ruling and opposition party secretaries, and it has never been violated even once," adding, "In the future, there should never be a unilateral agenda set based on the request of the majority party."

In response, Yoon Gun-young, the opposition party secretary from the Democratic Party, said, "We proposed to thoroughly investigate the unprecedented case of U.S. wiretapping allegations, but the meeting could not be held," and criticized, "If the wiretapping of the president or presidential office staff by the U.S. intelligence agency is true, the primary responsibility lies with the National Intelligence Service. How can it be called a national intelligence agency when the NIS cannot even explain to the National Assembly?"

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Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Byung-gi also pointed out, "Being wiretapped is a problem, but the incomprehensible behavior afterward, especially the remark that the wiretapping was harmless, will be a disgraceful statement etched in the history of wiretapping."

In response, Representative Yoo said, "If the U.S. wiretapping incident is directly related to the NIS, it is natural to hold a plenary session to verify the facts and prepare measures to prevent recurrence," but he retorted, "However, this is a matter where classified information was leaked in the U.S., and the U.S. government authorities are conducting a fact-finding investigation, so I do not understand why the Intelligence Committee is rushing to hold a meeting."

The ruling and opposition party secretaries agreed to reschedule the agenda. Park Deok-heum, chairman of the Intelligence Committee from the People Power Party, said, "It is difficult to proceed with the briefing as the head of the NIS did not attend," and added, "Please have the two secretaries consult on the attendance of the NIS head and the timing of the briefing and coordinate accordingly."

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