Chief of spy agency backs changes to security law

Ko Young-koo, President Roh Moo-hyun’s nominee to lead the National Intelligence Service, yesterday faced focused questioning by the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee, where the former human-rights lawyer called for several revisions to the National Security Law.
Although Mr. Ko appeared before the Assembly committee, neither it nor the full Assembly has the power to block his nomination.
Mr. Ko, 66, responded to questions about changes he wants in Korea’s anti-communist legislation by saying, “The article in the law that identifies anti-state organizations as groups having a command structure with the purpose of claiming to govern Korea makes North Korea an anti-state group even if they undertake changes. It is my conviction that the law should be revised and this article eliminated.”
Citing other legal terms he saw as problems, he said, “The article that defines as punishable by imprisonment the act of praising, encouraging and supporting [such groups’ activities] is too vague.”
The committee released only portions of Mr. Ko’s testimony to the press, but this is the first time since the group was formed in 1994 that it has disclosed any testimony by officials at Korea’s spy agency.
Legislators zeroed in on past comments by Mr. Ko in his long civil rights career that suggested he wanted the law scrapped entirely. “I’ve said that the National Security Law should be revised but I have never argued for a full repeal.” he responded.
But he seemed to back away from his some of the positions espoused by Lawyers for a Democratic Society, an activist group that he headed. Using the Korean acronym for the group, he told legislators, “Minbyeon’s position is that the government’s power to investigate suspected communist-related activities should be ended, but I partly oppose that.”
President Roh Moo-hyun has promised not to meet directly with the head of the intelligence agency to avoid the perceived opportunity for more political plotting of the type that has tarnished the agency’s reputation. Mr. Ko brushed those promises aside, however, saying, “There is information that the president needs to hear directly and immediately.”
On another sensitive point, he said, “If need be, I will make both incumbent and former intelligence officials available to the prosecution if there are suspicions of illegal wiretapping.”

by Lee Sang-il