Two progressive civic groups asked the prosecution Thursday to investigate former President Lee Myung-bak about his alleged role in the state agencies' meddling in the 2012 presidential election.
  

In the complaint filed with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, the Lawyers for Democratic Society and the Korea Alliance of Progressive Movements claimed that Lee "aided and abetted" illegal election campaigning by the National Intelligence Service and the military cyber command.
  

"The political meddling is the outcome of an organized and premeditated scheme by Lee and then NIS chief Won Se-hoon," an official of the lawyers' group told a press conference.
  

Earlier this month, the Seoul High Court sentenced Won to three years in prison for willfully neglecting online posts made by his subordinates that slandered the opponents of President Park Geun-hye, a then presidential candidate, in the run-up to the election.
  

Accusing Lee of his failure to have carried out the duty of overseeing and instructing the spy chief's work and interrupting his illegal activities, the groups said Lee is suspected of violating the Public Official Election Act and the National Intelligence Service Act.
  

They also lashed out at the former president for "neglecting political meddling by the cyber command."
  

Last year, two of its former commanders were accused of meddling in politics after the command turned out to have posted tens of thousands of online comments in favor of or against specific political parties and candidates before and after the 2012 poll.
  

"Lee should face punishment as an accomplice ... key is the prosecution's will to carry out a thorough investigation," the groups said. (Yonhap)