The Korea Herald

지나쌤

Investigators raid ex-presidential secretary‘s home, office over election meddling scandal

By Yonhap

Published : Nov. 28, 2017 - 15:31

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Prosecution investigators raided the office and home of a former top aide to former President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday as part of an investigation into allegations that the military’s cyberwarfare command attempted to interfere with the 2012 presidential election.

Kim Tae-hyo, a Sungkyunkwan University professor who served as a senior secretary to Lee, is suspected of involvement with the cyber command‘s operations to write Internet comments to sway public opinions in favor of the then-ruling party’s candidate Park Geun-hye.

Park ultimately won the election against opposition candidate Moon Jae-in, though she was removed from office earlier this year due to a massive corruption scandal involving one of her longtime friends. Moon succeeded her after winning the presidential election in May.

Kim Tae-hyo (Yonhap) Kim Tae-hyo (Yonhap)

Investigators searched Kim’s home and office, and seized documents and computer files related to his duties as a presidential secretary. After scrutinizing the seized materials, prosecutors plan to call Kim in for questioning.

The investigation of Kim and other top presidential officials during the Lee administration is considered a step toward ultimately investigating the former president. Lee has recently categorically denied any knowledge or involvement in the military‘s alleged political interference.

The raid came after the investigation suffered a setback from a recent court decision to release a former national security adviser, Kim Kwan-jin, and former Deputy Defense Minister Lim Kwan-bin, who had been arrested on charges of involvement in the online operations. (Yonhap)