Former S. Korean spy chief jailed over election scandal

By Alex Jensen

SEOUL (AA) – The former head of South Korea’s intelligence agency, Won Sei-hoon, was sentenced to four years in prison Wednesday, concluding a years-long election meddling scandal.

The Seoul High Court found Won guilty of interfering in the 2012 presidential election, which was won by then conservative candidate Park Geun-hye. Park was expelled from Seoul’s presidential office in March over a separate corruption case.

Won, 66, was initially indicted back in 2013 on suspicion of ordering an illegal online smear campaign against Park’s opponents -- including her eventual successor Moon Jae-in.

The ex-spy chief was jailed for two years in 2014 but the Supreme Court ordered a retrial due to lack of evidence.

Wednesday’s ruling came after a renewed National Intelligence Service investigation produced recorded files of Won speaking to officials about “the importance of the election, saying that the NIS [National Intelligence Service] will be disbanded if the opposition wins,” according to a court statement carried by local news agency Yonhap.