Encouraging Institutional Completion of NIS Reform... New Motto: "Endless Loyalty and Devotion to the Nation and the People"
[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] President Moon Jae-in made an encouraging visit to the National Intelligence Service (NIS) for the first time in three years and also attended the unveiling ceremony of the new motto stone, "Serving Our Nation and People with Unwavering Loyalty and Devotion."
The Blue House announced on the 4th, "President Moon visited the NIS for the second time since his inauguration and received a briefing on reform achievements and future development plans from NIS Director Park Ji-won." The president's visit also aimed to reflect on the historical significance of the NIS being reborn as the nation's and people's intelligence agency on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of its establishment.
Attending the visit were Kim Kyung-hyeop, Chairman of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee, Jeong Hae-gu, former chairman of the NIS Reform Committee, and Lee Han-joong, Chairman of Yangji Association, accompanied by Yoo Young-min, Chief of Staff at the Blue House, and Suh Hoon, Director of the National Security Office.
During the briefing, the NIS stated that domestic intelligence operations were abolished following the revision of the NIS Act, and that the organizational structure was comprehensively reorganized due to the concretization or addition of tasks such as counterintelligence, counterterrorism, cyber, and space intelligence.
According to the NIS, scientific intelligence capabilities have been strengthened, and regional branches are discovering specialized tasks such as "training local white-hat hackers." Regarding the transfer of counterintelligence investigative authority, the NIS reported that it is conducting joint investigations with the police this year and piloting new collaborative investigation models, aiming to complete the full transfer of investigative authority by the end of 2023 without any setbacks.
The Blue House stated, "In particular, to enhance operational transparency, the NIS has compliance officers with legal qualifications verifying compliance throughout all processes, has strengthened external oversight by appointing external human rights protection officers, and is expanding public information services related to past incidents such as the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement and the Sewol Ferry disaster, as well as information crimes that infringe on people's livelihoods."
The NIS operates a 24-hour North Korea and overseas intelligence network to support peace on the Korean Peninsula and global security responses, and reported achievements in counterterrorism, international crime, prevention of leakage of national core technologies, and cyber hacking response.
The NIS plans to further strengthen scientific intelligence capabilities such as cyber and video intelligence, build analysis systems based on AI and big data, and expand human-technology integrated "Hu-Kint" to produce highly reliable information. It also announced plans to systematically develop space assets to enhance national space intelligence capabilities and expand cooperation with allied intelligence agencies to secure its status as an intelligence hub.
Director Park Ji-won said, "The NIS is being reborn as a specialized intelligence agency for North Korea and overseas through the strong will of the government, the demands of the people, and the efforts of all employees, completely severing ties with politics."
Director Park pledged, "We will become an NIS that works well and moves toward the future by establishing unparalleled intelligence capabilities in the North Korea and overseas sectors and actively pioneering expanded areas such as cyber security and space intelligence."
In his remarks, President Moon evaluated that with the revision of the NIS Act, the NIS has now returned as an intelligence agency for the nation and the people, urging it to focus on its core intelligence duties and transform into a future-oriented intelligence agency. Before receiving the briefing, President Moon observed a moment of silence in front of the "Nameless Star" sculpture installed at the NIS headquarters to honor intelligence agents who died in the line of duty. Recently, the number of stars increased from 18 to 19.
Meanwhile, President Moon and attendees participated in the unveiling ceremony of the new NIS motto stone held in front of the main building.
The new motto is "Serving Our Nation and People with Unwavering Loyalty and Devotion." It was selected to mark the full revision of the NIS Act and the 60th anniversary of its establishment. The NIS explained that it embodies core values chosen by employees such as "patriotism," "devotion," and "loyalty."
This is President Moon's fifth visit to the NIS headquarters. He visited in 2003 and 2005 as Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, in 2007 as Chief of Staff to the President, and in July 2018 after his inauguration as president.
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