DATE=3/15/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-228167
TITLE=KOREA / INTELLIGENCE / L-O
BYLINE=JOHN LARKIN
DATELINE=SEOUL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT KIM DAE-JUNG -- A FORMER POLITICAL
EXILE -- IS USING HIS NEW POWER TO CURB HIS NATION'S INTELLIGENCE
AGENCY. JOHN LARKIN REPORTS FROM SEOUL PRESIDENT KIM IS
DETERMINED TO CURTAIL THE AGENCY'S INFLUENCE OVER DOMESTIC
POLITICS.
TEXT -- FIVE FORMER AND PRESENT OFFICIALS WITH SOUTH KOREA'S
AGENCY FOR NATIONAL SECURITY PLANNING HAVE ALREADY BEEN ARRESTED.
STATE PROSECUTORS ARE INVESTIGATING ALLEGATIONS THEY ATTEMPTED TO
SABOTAGE PRESIDENT KIM'S SUCCESSFUL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
CAMPAIGN, LAST DECEMBER.
IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS THE WIDENING PROBE WILL SEE KWON YOUNG-HAE
-- WHO WAS RECENTLY REPLACED AS THE AGENCY'S DIRECTOR --
QUESTIONED BY PROSECUTORS ABOUT THE ALLEGED SMEAR CAMPAIGN.
PRESIDENT KIM WON THE ELECTION BY LESS THAN TWO PERCENT OF THE
VOTE. IT WAS HIS FIRST WIN IN FOUR PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS.
HE SAYS HE WON -- IN SPITE OF THE AGENCY'S SYSTEMATIC ATTEMPT,
CODE-NAMED "OPERATION NORTH WIND" -- TO WRECK HIS CAMPAIGN BY
LINKING IT TO NORTH KOREA'S GOVERNMENT.
THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, KIM DAE-JUNG HAS COMPLAINED THE AGENCY HAS
USED THIS TACTIC TO BOLSTER INCUMBENT, REPRESSIVE GOVERNMENTS AT
HIS EXPENSE.
PRESIDENT KIM SAYS HE WAS TORTURED BY THE AGENCY, WHEN HE WAS AN
ACTIVIST IN THE 1980'S. HE ALSO SAYS HE WAS KIDNAPPED BY KOREAN
AGENTS IN TOKYO AND NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION, SEVEN YEARS
EARLIER.
HUMAN RIGHTS OBSERVERS SAY THOUSANDS OF DISSIDENTS WERE TORTURED
BY THE AGENCY FOR OPPOSITION ACTIVITIES AND THAT MANY HAVE SPENT
YEARS IN JAIL AS PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE.
ALTHOUGH PRESIDENT KIM HAS DISMISSED SUGGESTIONS OF A VENDETTA
AGAINST THE INSTITUTION WHICH HE SAYS ONCE TRIED TO KILL HIM, HE
HAS SIGNALED SWEEPING CHANGES TO ITS OPERATIONS. (SIGNED)
NEB / WD / WD
15-Mar-98 5:09 AM EST (1009 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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