2023-06-13 18:00:00
Personnel revocation that was overturned within a week of the announcement of appointments and approved by the president for the first time, an aide to Director Kim Kyu-hyun, a senior official suspected of personnel manipulation “Only his own person is assigned to a key position”
National Intelligence Service Won Hun-seok. (Provided by the National Intelligence Service) 2021.6.7/News 1
It was confirmed on the 13th that the National Intelligence Service recently issued appointments for seven first-level executives, but reversed them within a week and placed them on standby. It is known that President Yoon Seok-yeol, who authorized the personnel appointment, overturned the personnel appointment belatedly, seeing that there was a problem following finding out that a certain NIS executive was deeply involved in the personnel affairs. This is the first time that a high-ranking official in the intelligence agency has been overturned following going through personnel verification in the presidential office as well as presidential approval.
According to Dong-A Ilbo’s coverage, the NIS announced new positions for 7 first-level executives, equivalent to bureau chiefs and directors, two weeks ago, but suddenly canceled the appointments in the second half of last week. Multiple NIS officials said, “It is an unprecedented situation that the appointment notice, which had been announced, was suddenly canceled.” He also said, “All 7 people are floating on the air because they are waiting for their duties, so the inside is agitated.” Previously, the NIS appointed around 20 first-level executives, mostly internally promoted, following all first-level executives appointed during the Moon Jae-in administration retired in September of last year, four months following the Yoon Seok-yeol administration took office. At this time, it has been done once more following being bitten in the appointment process, but it is known that there has never been a personnel reshuffle following the appointment notice like this time.
It is said that the presidential office is looking into the possibility of personnel manipulation by Mr. A, who is known to be an aide to NIS director Kim Kyu-hyun. Mr. A is known as one of the powerful people of the NIS who was deeply involved in the personnel affairs of 100 level 1 executives in September last year and 2nd and 3rd levels around November. It is known that Mr. A was also included in the first-class personnel list, which was overturned this time.
A key official in the passport said, “I understand that the president (Seok-yeol Yoon) received a letter saying that Mr. A was in control of personnel,” and “the president seems to have tentatively judged (the content of the letter) to be correct.” This official said, “I know that there are rumors that Mr. A set up a partition between Director Kim and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd deputy heads, and Director Kim Nam-woo of the Planning and Coordination Office, and placed only his person in key positions.” He also said, “(The president) is currently determining whether Mr. A is the same person as Choo Myeong-ho, former director of the National Intelligence Service at the National Intelligence Service.” During the Park Geun-hye administration, Choo, who was known as a powerhouse of the NIS, was indicted on charges of illegally inspecting former special inspector general Lee Seok-soo and others (political involvement and abuse of power under the NIS Act), and was convicted in the Supreme Court this year.
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It is known that the reason why President Yoon Seok-yeol approved the appointment of seven first-level National Intelligence Service executives, but then suddenly reversed it last week following a week, was because he identified some concerns that NIS executive A was excessively intervening in personnel affairs by abusing his authority. .
A key passport official said on the 13th, “President Yoon tentatively judged that the facts were correct regarding the letter that Mr. A was arbitrarily controlling personnel affairs, and accordingly, I understand that the personnel to be appointed were placed on standby for duties.” The official also said, “It seems that it was judged that regarding half of the first-class personnel targets had a problem.” It can be interpreted that it belatedly discovered following the president’s personnel reconsideration that a problem that might cause ineligibility for appointment to other personnel besides Mr. A, who is known to be included in the first-class personnel list that was overturned this time.
According to multiple intelligence sources, Mr. A is said to have played a leading role in the process of resigning senior executives appointed during the Moon Jae-in administration last year, the first year of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration. A source said, “I know that Mr. A was actively involved in personnel affairs to erase the color of the Moon Jae-in government when 27 first-level executives were replaced last year and regarding 100 second- and third-level officials were organized.” However, inside the NIS, it is said that there were complaints that Mr. A, known as an aide to NIS director Kim Kyu-hyun, was unreasonably involved in personnel affairs. It is known that there was an open issue raised by some personnel who had the idea that a gradual and systematic personnel appointment should be made. There was also a message from a passport official that Mr. A blocked communication between the head of the Planning and Coordination Office and deputy heads and Director Kim.
In October of last year, Cho Sang-joon, head of the Planning and Coordination Office, resigned four months following being appointed at the National Intelligence Service, and rumors of conflict between the top officials spread. It is interpreted that the President’s office took this situation more seriously as it has been wary of a situation in which noise is created within the intelligence authorities. It is also known that the President’s office is aware that it is a problem when an intelligence agency is caught up in internal personnel disputes at a time when North Korea is increasing the level of provocations and issues such as the investigation into alleged violations of the National Security Law are piled up. Earlier, in a private visit to the NIS in February to receive a business report, President Yoon said that “a flexible and agile decision-making system and personnel system must be supported” regarding the operation of the NIS.
Some in the ruling party point out that the NIS command line should be held accountable as the unprecedented incident occurred in which personnel appointments were withdrawn due to suspicions of personnel manipulation being raised following the president reapproved.
Reporter Nari Shin journari@donga.com
Reporter Jeon Joo-young aimhigh@donga.com
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