hankyoreh

The ruling Grand National Party submitted a bill to the National Assembly on November 7 for approval to revise the law regulating the National Intelligence Service. The proposed revision, which would significantly expand the scope of the NIS’s mission, is the result of a combination of political maneuvering by the administration of President Lee Myung-bak, who wants to use the NIS workforce and its intelligence networks, and the NIS’s long-held aspirations to boost its authority.

Since the administration of former President Roh Moo-hyun, Lee’s predecessor, the NIS has vigorously sought to expand the scope of its mission, citing the desire for a more active response to changes in the security landscape at home and abroad. After the Lee administration was inaugurated, the NIS publicly announced it was in the process of expanding the scope of its mission, which is currently limited to overseas intelligence operations and domestic security and intelligence in the fields of anti-communism and anti-terrorism, spy operations, attempts to overthrow the government and the collection of information related to international crime syndicates. The NIS argues that its current mission prevents it from actively coping with cyber terrorism, industrial spies and environmental protection.

The proposed revision of the NIS Act, signed by 61 GNP lawmakers, including Rep. Lee Cheol-wu, reflects some of those arguments by proposing the NIS be allowed to gather security and intelligence on industrial technology leaks and intelligence “needed to prevent and manage a crisis of national importance.”

However, the core of the proposed revision allows the NIS “to gather intelligence to help map out a national policy that would significantly affect national security and interests.” Outwardly, such activities are aimed at the preservation of the national interest and the gathering of intelligence on national policy. However, this would, in many ways, give the NIS the power to significantly and legally expand its mission into the political and social sectors, as is wanted by both the NIS and GNP.

Some GNP lawmakers say that new NIS agents have to refrain from gathering information related to the national interest because of the possible illegality involved, though similar activities were customary in the past. The lawmakers also say that while the NIS should be barred from intervening in politics, they need to “open the way for the NIS to play a role in mapping out policies that are important to the future of the nation.”

If the bill is ratified, recent actions taken by NIS agents and currently deemed inappropriate will essentially become legal. NIS Deputy Director Kim Hoe-seon, who is in charge of domestic affairs, has been under fire for attending a government meeting held August 11 regarding the Lee administration’s controversial dismissal of the KBS president before the end of his term. NIS agents also attended a government meeting, chaired by Vice Culture Minister Shin Jae-min, that was called to discuss the government response to nationwide protests by Buddhists against the government’s alleged religious bias.

The proposed revision would also allow the NIS to conduct research and gather intelligence about the feasibility of President Lee’s plan to construct what is known as the Grand Korean Waterway, a series of canals connecting Seoul and Busan.

In addition, the proposed revision would also permit the NIS to monitor the National Assembly with no questions asked. The NIS would also be allowed to monitor activities related to the protests of last spring and summer against U.S. beef imports.

However, it is uncertain whether the bill will gain passage in the Assembly. Although the GNP vowed to get parliamentary approval for revision of the NIS Act and a series of bills that favor the NIS, such one that would allow for creation of a national anti-terrorism center under NIS control, a law revision that would allow the NIS to wiretap mobile phones via wireless companies and a revision of the law that regulates NIS agents, the proposals are sure to be met with strong resistance from opposition parties.

Rep. Cho Jung-sik, a spokesman for the Democratic Party, said that if the bills are passed, “It’s obvious that political inspections (by the NIS) would be carried out against opposition parties and civic groups. The GNP’s move, which is the same as setting the fox to keep the geese, to revise the NIS Act is wrong and should not be accepted.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]