Police Decide Not to Prosecute National Intelligence Service Employee on Charges of Following Civilians and Entertaining Police

"Rational Grounds Exist, No Procedural Defects"

The police have decided not to prosecute in the case where a National Intelligence Service (NIS) employee was accused of stalking and filming civilians and providing money and entertainment to the police.

On the 23rd, the Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that it made a non-prosecution decision on the 8th regarding the allegations against NIS employee Lee regarding violations of the National Intelligence Service Act and the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. The police also did not indict eight others, including NIS, prosecution, and police officials, who were jointly accused of abuse of authority, defamation, and violations of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.

The police concluded that it was true that Lee and other NIS officials stalked and filmed the leader of the progressive civic group Candlelight Victory Transition Action (Candlelight Action) and monitored their activities, but that no crime was established. They judged that the information-gathering activities were conducted with reasonable grounds after approval through internal NIS committee reviews, and that there were no procedural defects during the stalking and filming process.

Furthermore, regarding the allegations that Lee provided gifts and entertainment to police officers belonging to the Security Investigation Bureau of the National Police Agency, the police acknowledged the provision of gifts but determined that since the amount did not exceed "1 million won per occasion and 3 million won per fiscal year," it did not constitute a violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.

Earlier, Candlelight Action claimed that materials surveilling members of the Korean University Students Progressive Union, Candlelight Action, and labor and farmers' organizations were found on Lee's mobile phone, and filed a complaint with the police in April. Candlelight Action announced plans on the 23rd to file a damages lawsuit against the state.