Park Ji-won: "Will Maintain 'Political Distancing' in the Presidential Election... Will Continue to Actively Support 5·18 Materials"

Park Ji-won, Director of the National Intelligence Service, is attending the full meeting of the Intelligence Committee held at the National Assembly on the 15th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Park Ji-won, the Director of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), announced that he will continue to practice 'political distancing' in the upcoming presidential election. He also stated that he plans to actively support the disclosure of materials related to the May 18 Democratic Uprising.

According to intelligence sources on the 14th, Director Park recently said at a private press briefing, "The NIS thoroughly practiced 'political distancing' in the recent by-election. Now, the full-fledged 'season of politics' is approaching."

The 'season of politics' likely refers to the presidential election, which is less than a year away. Director Park said, "'Political distancing' is the best reform for the NIS," adding, "We are determined to thoroughly implement it as the shortcut to restoring public trust."

He also pledged to actively disclose information related to past incidents. Director Park emphasized, "The NIS is actively supporting the discovery and disclosure of materials related to non-duty intelligence activities, the Sewol ferry disaster, the May 18 Democratic Uprising, and the Bu-Ma Democratic Protests. Recently, we additionally released photos of the 'first firing armored vehicle' from May 18, revealing that the claims of the martial law troops were false."

Director Park stated, "We will continue to actively communicate with relevant agencies to support the provision of materials," and added, "Currently, the discovery and support of materials related to May 18 and the Sewol ferry disaster are being conducted with direct participation and close communication with the Truth Investigation Commission and the Special Investigation Commission on Social Disasters (Sacheomwi), reviewing all materials."

He noted, "Recently, the regional situation involving North-South Korea, North Korea-US, Korea-US-Japan, Korea-China, and Korea-Russia has been very fluid," and said, "We are striving to ensure that intelligence agency partnerships lead to strengthened alliances and improved relations, contributing to the development of the Republic of Korea and peace on the Korean Peninsula."

Regarding NIS reform, Director Park said, "The counterintelligence investigation authority will be transferred to the police in three years, but the ongoing counterintelligence investigations are currently a collaboration of 'police as the main force, NIS as the assistant.'" He added, "We are committed to implementing a complete, verifiable, and irreversible (CVID) transfer of counterintelligence investigation authority to the police after three years."

On June 10, marking the 60th anniversary of the NIS's founding, a new vision for the agency will be announced. Director Park revealed, "We are currently gathering opinions from experts across various fields and NIS staff to refine the vision of a 'working NIS, a future-oriented NIS, and a warm NIS like home,' commonly referred to as 'IlmiJip'."