S Korea spy agency comes under probe over scandal

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 30, 2013 6:29AM GMT

South Korea’s spy agency has come under investigation over its alleged involvement in the country’s last year presidential election.

According to South Korean Yonhap news agency, a team of about 25 prosecutors and investigators on Tuesday raided the headquarters of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) in the capital, Seoul and confiscated digital files and documents.

The NIS is accused of attempting “to influence public opinion” ahead of the election that led to presidency of the conservative ruling party candidate Park Geun-Hye.

“Allegations have been raised that the NIS extensively and systemically intervened in the presidential election by using its agents to post a slew of politically sensitive comments on the Internet against the opposition candidate to sway public opinion ahead of the December race,” Yonhap said.

Earlier Tuesday, the prosecutors grilled Won Sei-hoon, the former chief of the NIS, for more than 14 hours over his alleged role in the scandal that was conducted by the agency's anti-North Korea psychological warfare team.

Won, who rejected the allegations, will again appear before the prosecutors for further investigation. Police ended their four-month probe into the case in March.

DB/HN