Lee Jae-myung, Warning from Intelligence Agencies Taking the Front
"National Intelligence Service Regulation Revision Must Be Withdrawn"
"Must Watch for Consequences if Security Agencies Are Abused in Domestic Politics"
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 7th and delivering an opening remark. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
[Asia Economy Reporters Naju-seok and Park Joon-yi] Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, warned on the 7th that "politics of fear is casting a shadow over our society." While freedoms such as freedom of expression have been shrinking under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, he raised concerns about the fear caused by investigative agencies such as the prosecution, the Board of Audit and Inspection, and the National Intelligence Service. In particular, he strongly expressed concern over the revision of the National Intelligence Service's enforcement regulations allowing background checks on high-ranking public officials and urged its withdrawal.
At the Democratic Party's Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Lee said, "Democracy, which was built with bloodshed and lives sacrificed in various fields of our society, is regressing," adding, "The people feel fear and anxiety toward state power, which should be a warm protector."
He continued, "Freedom of expression and freedom of the press, which are the foundation of democracy, are being infringed upon," pointing out, "People are being denied boarding or subjected to all kinds of sanctions simply because they do not suit the administration's taste, and investigative agencies are creating anxiety and fear in various sectors of society through indiscriminate raids."
Lee lamented, "Businesses and managers are anxious due to unexpected tax audits by the National Tax Service, and the public service sector is frozen by inspection investigations disguised as indiscriminate policy audits by the Board of Audit and Inspection," adding, "No one wants to work anymore."
He said, "Now the National Intelligence Service is also casting a dark shadow with illegal surveillance and political interference," stating, "It is said that the National Intelligence Service recently revised its enforcement regulations to allow extensive background checks on high-ranking public officials under the president's directive. This grants the National Intelligence Service unlimited authority to collect domestic information under the pretext of background checks."
Lee condemned, "(This) is directly opposed to the era's task of intelligence agency reform," adding, "The ghosts of personal information, illegal surveillance, and such are being revived under the guise of background checks." He further said, "Political interference by intelligence agencies and the regression of democracy are seriously concerning," warning, "The Yoon Seok-yeol administration must face the judgment that regimes which abused security agencies for domestic politics have encountered."
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