Presidential Office: "National Intelligence Service Background Checks Included in Transition Team Personnel Screening"
Security Work Regulations Specify Request for Background Investigations to NIS Director
[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the 27th, the Presidential Office explained that Kim Tae-hyo, the First Deputy Director of the National Security Office, did not undergo a background check by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) during the appointment process, stating that "it can be considered that he effectively underwent verification equivalent to the (NIS) background check." However, since the security work regulations clearly state that individuals appointed to positions handling national secrets must request a background check from the NIS Director, controversy is expected to continue.
A key official from the Presidential Office said during a briefing held at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul that morning, "He reportedly underwent personnel verification twice during the transition team period. The personnel verification items include all aspects of the NIS background check."
Earlier, Kim Kyung-hyup, chairman of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out regarding Kim’s appointment that "there is suspicion of President Yoon Seok-yeol violating the security work regulations." In a signed response submitted to Kim Kyung-hyup on the same day, the NIS stated, "In the case of Deputy Director Kim, no background check was conducted as there was no request from the Presidential Security Office, and we understand that personnel verification was conducted at the transition team level."
The Presidential Office maintains that there is no problem since the NIS background check items were effectively included during the transition team’s personnel verification, but controversy over the violation of the Presidential Office’s regulations is expected to persist. According to the National Intelligence Service Act and security work regulations, the NIS is responsible for conducting background checks on national public officials of grade 3 or higher. In particular, Article 36, Paragraph 3 of the security work regulations states that "heads of related agencies must request a background check from the NIS Director for public officials to be appointed (limited to those who will handle national secrets related to national security)."
When asked whether the investigation was requested from the NIS during the transition team period, the official avoided a direct answer, saying, "Please understand that we cannot specifically disclose which agency conducted the investigation and how."
Regarding whether other National Security Office staff, such as Kim Sung-han, the Director of the National Security Office, underwent NIS background checks, and whether similar cases can be found in previous governments’ appointments of National Security Office Directors, the official responded, "We will check again. We do not know about others yet," and added, "We need to look into how previous governments handled this."
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