hankyoreh

The Supreme Court upheld the four-year prison sentence for former NIS director Won Sei-hoon on Apr.19. Won was originally sentenced in Aug. 2017 after being convicted illegally interfering in the 2012 presidential election campaign by ordering an NIS psychological warfare team to post messages on Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms to support ruling party candidate Park Geun-hye and discredit the opposition candidate Moon Jae-in. During his trial, Won had justified his actions by saying that they were necessary to protect South Korea against the influence of North Korea.

Two of Won’s collaborators, former third deputy director Lee Jong-myeong and Min Byung-joo, the leader of the psychological warfare team, also had their sentences confirmed by the court. Both men were given prison terms of two years and six months, suspended for four years. (by Park Jong-shik, staff photographer)