Three former spy agency chiefs jailed for providing money to ex-president

By Park Sae-jin Posted : June 15, 2018, 18:27 Updated : June 15, 2018, 18:27

Former spy agency chief Nam Jae-joon. [Yonhap Photo]


SEOUL --  Three former spy agency chiefs received a jail term of up to three years and six months on charges of causing losses to the state coffers. They were indicted for providing expenses for espionage activity to South Korea's ousted ex-president Park Geun-hye who is on trial for her involvement in a corruption scandal.

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced Nam Jae-joon Friday to three years in prison for handing 600 million won ($547,540) to Park every month. Lee Byung-kee and Lee Byong-ho, who once headed the National Intelligence Service (NIS), were given a jail term of three and a half years each for handing some 800 million won and 2.1 billion won.

"The budget system, which should be operated strictly, was shaken because money was not used for securing the safety of the people," the court said, rejecting bribery charges as money was transferred at Park's request.

Former spy agency officials have been arrested on charges of meddling in elections and blacklisting outspoken figures. Park received a 24-year jail sentence in April after a court found her guilty of abusing her power to extort money from businessmen.

Park was additionally indicted for accepting some 3.65 billion won from the spy agency between May 2013 and July 2016. Prosecutors claimed the NIS fund was used for private purposes.

 
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