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소아쌤

Court to decide on arrest warrant for ex-Park aide in spy agency scandal

By Yonhap

Published : Dec. 14, 2017 - 10:47

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A Seoul court said Thursday it will decide whether to approve an arrest warrant for a close aide of ousted President Park Geun-hye over his alleged involvement in illegal surveillance by the state spy agency.

Woo Byung-woo, ex-senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, appeared at the Seoul Central District Court for a hearing at around 10:30 a.m. Prosecutors filed for the writ on Monday, the third time they had done so. The court rejected two previous requests in February and April this year.

Woo Byung-woo (Yonhap) Woo Byung-woo (Yonhap)

The 51-year-old is accused of involvement in the secret surveillance of influential public officials and civilians by the National Intelligence Service, who were considered left-leaning or critical of conservative Park government of the time.

He is also accused of having the NIS put a tail on Lee Seok-su, then-special presidential inspector who was investigating Woo over possible corruption.

The allegations bring the possibility of charges of abuse of power and collusion in violation of the NIS law, the prosecution has said. Woo has denied any wrongdoing.

Woo has already been standing trial on charges that he overlooked and tried to cover up influence-peddling by a longtime friend and confidante of Park, Choi Soon-sil, and exerting power to block an investigation into the Park government's handling of the 2014 ferry sinking that killed more than 300 passengers.

The court decision on Woo's warrant will be announced as early as late Thursday or early Friday. (Yonhap)

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