The National Intelligence Service (NIS) has issued its first report on the National Security Planning Agency's illegal eavesdropping activities to the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee. The NIS says its inquiry is ongoing but the results so far deserve close to a failing grade. In fact the NIS would still be unable to adequately defend itself even if it spoke with ten mouths. Nowhere in this whole case do you see it behaving like the highest intelligence organization in the country. The NIS told the committee there are "no other recordings than the 274 tapes" and that there "are no copies or other leaks," but who is going to take that at face value? Anyone would have a hard time believing the NIS at this point, no matter what it tries to tell the country.
The basic reason the NIS has come to this would appear to be because of its excessive close and secretive atmosphere. It has long wielded "security" like its ultimate trump card and blockaded all access. Even the National Assembly is unable to exert real control on NIS activities.
Reform of the NIS needs to begin by breaking through the closed attitude. Its untouchable status needs to be resolutely destroyed in the process of the investigation into the eavesdropping case. If for the sake of clarifying the truth the prosecution must not hesitate to search the NIS. During an investigation into suspicions of eavesdropping in 2003 prosecutors did not search the NIS out of consideration for its status, but it must not be forgotten that it is that misguided consideration is exactly what hurt the NIS in the first place.
NIS director Kim Seung Gyu told the National assembly on Monday that the organization will "reflect on past wrongs and be reborn." People have heard that plenty of times over. Nowhere in Kim's comments do you see any sign of reflection on the fact that its biggest past mistake has been its closed attitude. Reform of the NIS has to be about bringing it out of what is a blind spot to oversight so that it is under official and thorough control.
The Hankyoreh, 2 August 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] Prosecution Investigation Must Change NIS |
