Top court confirms 4-year term for ex-spy chief for election meddling

SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a four-year prison term for former National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Won Sei-hoon on his conviction for political interference and election meddling.

The close confidante of former President Lee Myung-bak was indicted in 2013 for running an illicit smear campaign to sway voters in favor of then-ruling party candidate Park Geun-hye ahead of the 2013 presidential election. Won headed the NIS from 2009-2013.

NIS officials hired hundreds of civilians and retirees of the agency to post Internet comments against her liberal rival Moon Jae-in.

Park won the 2012 election and was ousted in March 2017 over a corruption scandal. Moon became her successor after winning a snap election last May.

The trial dragged on as court verdicts differed on whether he was guilty of violating election law, a crime punishable by a much heavier penalty than that for breaching NIS law.

He was first found not guilty of the charge in the lowest court ruling in July 2014 and given a suspended term. But the appellate court overturned the verdict in February 2015 and had him serve about eight months behind bars before he was released on bail.

The granting of bail came after the top court sent his case back to the lower court, saying the evidence was not sufficient to prove his charge on violation of election law.

In August of last year, the Seoul High Court found the 67-year-old guilty with regard to election law and sentenced him to four years in prison. Prosecutors submitted more evidence to the court after an internal probe by the spy agency found documents and other materials backing up Won's charges.

Thursday's ruling came in response to Won's appeal against the August ruling.

The 67-year-old has been additionally indicted for spending taxpayers' money to cover costs for the online maneuvers and for initiating a plan to have a public broadcaster under government control.

He is also implicated in other bribery and embezzlement probes linked to a former aide of ex-president Lee and his private spending.

elly@yna.co.kr
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