Deadlock Finally Reached on National Intelligence Service Act Amendment... Ruling Party Likely to Vote on '3-Year Grace Period'

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jin-young] Members of the ruling and opposition parties in the National Assembly Intelligence Committee's bill subcommittee ultimately failed to reach an agreement on the amendment to the National Intelligence Service Act on the 24th. The Democratic Party of Korea plans to hold a plenary session in the afternoon to unilaterally vote on the amendment to the NIS Act.

It is reported that there were no major disagreements between the ruling and opposition parties on key issues except for the transfer of counterintelligence investigative authority. However, regarding the transfer of counterintelligence investigative authority to the police, the Democratic Party insisted on enforcing it even with a proviso of a "three-year implementation deferral," while the People Power Party maintained its stance that the transfer should not occur.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Ha Tae-kyung, the opposition party's secretary of the Intelligence Committee and a member of the People Power Party, met with reporters after the subcommittee's deadlock and stated, "This is a law that returns us to the Fifth Republic," adding, "Although it was decided to separate the NIS's domestic intelligence activities and investigations, the police, who monopolize domestic intelligence, will also gain investigative authority, effectively recombining domestic intelligence and the police." He further said, "It is a law that revives the Namyeong-dong Counterintelligence Division, which killed Park Jong-cheol during the Fifth Republic era. It is a clear regression," expressing his opposition.

Lee Cheol-gyu, a member of the Intelligence Committee from the People Power Party, said, "The provisions on the political neutrality obligations of NIS employees have been relaxed compared to before," and added, "We could not agree because it would become a toxic clause that opens the door for NIS employees to intervene in politics."

Kim Byung-gi, the ruling party's secretary and a member of the Democratic Party, explained, "The opposition party's position is to maintain the status quo because the external agency has not even been established yet, so discussing it is inappropriate, while the Democratic Party proposed transferring the authority first and discussing it over three years, but the talks broke down." Kim said, "The provisions regarding political neutrality will be revised again," leaving room for discussion on the issues raised by Lee, but emphasized, "I think the subcommittee should at least pass the (NIS Act amendment) bill."