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NIS nominee calls for stronger mandate to bolster national security

Published: 20 Jun. 2025, 00:00

Lee Jong-seok, nominee for director of the National Intelligence Service, takes an oath during a confirmation hearing before the National Assembly Intelligence Committee in Yeouido, Seoul, on June 19. [YONHAP]

Lee Jong-seok, nominee to lead Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), addressed concerns over his ideological leanings during a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly on June 19. Often labeled as part of the “autonomous faction” due to his policy views during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, Lee clarified that he has never followed ideology but has acted based on “practical national interest.”

A former unification minister and standing member of the National Security Council, Lee is widely viewed as a North Korea policy expert rather than a traditional intelligence figure. His progressive background has drawn criticism from conservative lawmakers, who question whether he is fit to head Korea’s main intelligence agency. Aware of such skepticism, Lee appeared intent on reassuring lawmakers of his commitment to national security.

Lee stated that “the Korea-U.S. alliance remains the fundamental basis” of Korea’s foreign policy, and that trilateral cooperation with the United States and Japan, based on that alliance, is key to managing regional relations. He pledged to strengthen intelligence capabilities related to North Korea and to contribute to national security by enhancing overseas intelligence gathering and pre-emptive security measures.

While it remains to be seen how Lee will lead the agency, his policy outline presented during the hearing generally aligns with current strategic needs. North Korea’s nuclear arsenal remains the most immediate threat to Korean security. Pyongyang has openly stated its willingness to carry out a pre-emptive nuclear strike if deemed necessary. The NIS must remain vigilant, tracking both political signals and military activity in the North with precision.

Israel’s Mossad offers a striking comparison. The agency recently made headlines when Israel conducted operations eliminating more than 20 senior Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists in a single strike. Mossad had been infiltrating Iran with drones and guided munitions for months, cultivating assets on the ground and pinpointing real-time locations of its targets with surgical accuracy. The agency’s intelligence capabilities and bold execution are widely recognized around the world.

Then-President Moon Jae-in applauds with attendees after unveiling a new NIS motto stone at the National Intelligence Service on the afternoon of June 4, 2021. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

In contrast, Korea’s NIS has struggled even with domestic counterintelligence. Under the Moon Jae-in administration, the agency’s investigative powers were significantly reduced when its counterespionage authority was transferred to the police. “Field agents are saying that it’s nearly impossible to do their jobs with only residual investigative rights,” Lee said during the hearing, calling for legal revisions to allow the NIS to fully reclaim its counterespionage mandate. He also urged changes to criminal law so espionage charges can be applied to agents of hostile foreign countries beyond North Korea.

The days of the NIS serving as a political tool are over. Lawmakers should lift outdated restrictions and provide the institutional support needed for the NIS to evolve into a Korean version of Mossad — an agency capable of proactively defending the nation.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.