Most Popular
-
1
Ador CEO denies allegations, accuses Hybe of mistreating NewJeans
-
2
Medical reform committee kicks off despite boycott from doctors
-
3
10-man S. Korea lose to Indonesia to miss out on Paris Olympic football qualification
-
4
Hybe-Ador feud should have limited effect on Hybe's overall performance: analysts
-
5
DP leader says he will meet Yoon without conditions
-
6
Over 9,000 hotline calls made by stalking victims in 2023
-
7
Second Gimpo civil servant found dead, after apologizing for not finishing work
-
8
[Hello India] Hyundai Motor vows to boost 'clean mobility' in India
![[Hello India] Hyundai Motor vows to boost 'clean mobility' in India](//res.heraldm.com/phpwas/restmb_idxmake.php?idx=644&simg=/content/image/2024/04/25/20240425050672_0.jpg&u=)
-
9
Monthly users on local streaming platforms outpace Netflix, Disney+
-
10
US will take steps for three-way engagement on nuclear deterrence with S. Korea, Japan: Campbell
![[Hello India] Hyundai Motor vows to boost 'clean mobility' in India](http://res.heraldm.com/phpwas/restmb_idxmake.php?idx=644&simg=/content/image/2024/04/25/20240425050672_0.jpg&u=)
Prosecutors raid 30 locations in investigation into spy agency‘s alleged election meddling
By YonhapPublished : Aug. 23, 2017 - 12:55
Prosecutors raided 30 locations Wednesday as they stepped up an investigation into allegations that the state intelligence agency secretly hired outside people to write Internet comments in an effort to sway voters ahead of the 2012 presidential election.
An internal probe of the National Intelligence Service found that the agency ran 30 such "cyber teams" involving Internet-savvy civilians for election-meddling operations. The agency has referred the 30 team leaders to the prosecution for investigation.
On Wednesday, prosecution investigators raided 30 locations across the country, five or six of them either the homes or offices of some team leaders, and seized documents, computer hard disks, ledgers and mobile phones, officials said.
The locations also included the office of an organization comprising retired NIS officials as well as the office of a conservative civilian organization made up of supporters of former President Lee Myung-bak, they said.
Prosecutors have also banned the 30 team leaders as well as former and incumbent NIS officials suspected of involvement in the scheme from leaving the country. Investigators are tracing bank accounts to track down the money flow between the agency and the secretive teams.
Depending on the results of the investigation, prosecutors could press additional charges against then NIS chief Won Sei-hoon. Won is on trial for allegedly pulling the strings of the cyber operations to help then-conservative candidate Park Geun-hye.
Another focus of the probe is how far it will go, including who else, in addition to the former NIS chief, will be investigated. Some even speculate that top officials of the government of then President Lee could be targets. (Yonhap)
