Police Investigate NIS Over Alleged Intervention in Gangseo District Mayoral By-Election

The police are investigating the National Intelligence Service (NIS) over allegations that it attempted to influence the 2023 Seoul Gangseo District mayoral by-election.

Yonhap News Agency

The Anti-Corruption and Public Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced on the 9th that earlier this month, investigators were sent to the NIS headquarters in Naegok-dong, Seocho-gu, and obtained internal documents related to the NIS's announcement of a 'Central Election Commission Security Inspection' through voluntary submission.

In addition, the police have booked former NIS Director Kim Kyu-hyun, who led the agency at the time, as a suspect on charges including abuse of authority, and have imposed a travel ban on him.

Previously, the NIS had announced the results of a security inspection in 2023, stating that 'the voting and ballot counting results could be hacked,' right before the Gangseo District mayoral by-election.

Senior NIS officials are suspected of being involved in determining the timing of the announcement, and there are also allegations that some of the content was fabricated.

The police, having obtained the NIS's security inspection reports for the election commission and related meeting materials, plan to summon NIS staff members involved in the security inspection for questioning after completing the analysis of the seized materials.