"No Order to Delete, Documents Remain Intact"
"A Politically Orchestrated Case by the Yoon Sukyeol Administration"
Jiwon Park, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea representing Haenam, Wando, and Jindo in South Jeolla Province, strongly criticized the prosecution's demand for a four-year prison sentence for former National Security Office Chief Suh Hoon and a two-year prison sentence with a two-year suspension of qualifications for himself, stating, "The Board of Audit and Inspection and the prosecution should go to hell."
On November 5, Park posted on his social networking service (SNS), "After three and a half years, a final trial was held for the murder of a public official in the West Sea, and the prosecution demanded a two-year sentence," questioning, "Why not demand 20 years instead of just two?"
He said, "The prosecution claims that 'Jiwon Park received 30 million won and ordered the deletion of National Intelligence Service documents,' which is an insult to my dignity," adding, "According to the National Intelligence Service audit, there is no evidence that I gave such an order, and the documents that were allegedly deleted still exist within the National Intelligence Service."
Park referenced his past legal history, saying, "Out of my more than 40 years in politics, I spent 25 years at the Seocho-dong courthouse." He continued, "I was sentenced to 20 years by the special prosecutor in the North Korea remittance case, and in the Bohae Savings Bank case, I was acquitted in the first trial, received a two-year suspended sentence in the second trial, but was ultimately acquitted by the Supreme Court."
Previously, the prosecution argued, "The defendants, as high-ranking officials, neglected their duty to protect the lives and safety of the people and disguised the victim as a defector to North Korea to cover up their mistakes," adding, "By announcing false information, they deceived the public and the bereaved families and socially ostracized them."
This final trial was held nearly three years after the indictment in December 2022. So far, approximately 70 hearings have taken place, with most proceedings held behind closed doors due to the submission of military confidential information (SI), including North Korean wiretap records, as evidence. Park was indicted on charges of violating the National Intelligence Service Act for allegedly ordering the deletion of about 50 intelligence reports and documents related to Lee Daejun, the public official in the West Sea, during his tenure as Director of the National Intelligence Service.
In his final statement, he said, "I have spent nearly 40 years of my political life in a contentious relationship with the prosecution," and added, "The National Intelligence Service should never have filed a complaint against a former director like myself."
He continued, "I respect the National Intelligence Service and still care for its employees. I will continue to be a supporter of the agency," emphasizing, "It was an immense honor to have completed the reform of the National Intelligence Service through legal and institutional means during the Moon Jaein administration."
Park further argued, "This case was orchestrated and directed by the Yoon Sukyeol administration, and executed in collusion with the Board of Audit and Inspection, certain National Intelligence Service employees, and the prosecution," adding, "The Yoon administration fabricated claims that I led the framing of the victim as a defector and ordered the deletion and concealment of intelligence, but after more than 70 trials, the truth is coming to light."
He noted, "Recently, the National Intelligence Service reported to the National Assembly that 'former Director Jiwon Park did not order any deletions, no employees received such orders, and the documents allegedly deleted still exist on the agency's server,'" criticizing, "Yet the prosecution continues to maintain the indictment."
He also pointed out, "Choi Jaehae, Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection, recently stated in the National Assembly that 'the Board of Audit and Inspection did not directly audit the National Intelligence Service at the time and only cited the agency's complaint materials in its announcement,'" adding, "Nevertheless, the prosecution still refuses to acknowledge its mistake."
He concluded, "Because of this case, the reformed National Intelligence Service has regressed, and both I and the agency's employees have lost our honor and suffered great harm," adding, "Democracy in the Republic of Korea has been set back."
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