Prosecution rejects NIS suit against criminal profiler

The prosecution has turned down litigation from the National Intelligence Service against renowned criminal profiler Pyo Chang-won.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said Sunday that it has dismissed the NIS’ defamation suit against Pyo, former professor of the Korean National Police University. It said no charge was found from Pyo’s written view.

In January 2013, Pyo claimed in a newspaper column that “the NIS faces a crisis as political heavyweights are exploiting its information, budget and manpower for political purposes.”

In particular, the NIS honed in on the part of his writing that claimed the agency “appears to have become a mockery in the international intelligence sector due to its incompetence.”

Over the NIS’ libel action against him, the prosecution cited a judicial precedent stipulating that a state agency cannot be victim of a defamation suit. It added that his column was based on his individual views, not on concrete facts.

The Supreme Court had ruled that neither the government nor a state agency can be victim to libel action under criminal law. Broadcaster MBC’s program “PD Notebook” had been indicted for undermining the government’s honor for its report on U.S. beef imports in 2008.

Pyo reportedly said that he hopes state agencies would not abuse litigations for the simple purpose of quelling criticism and anger from the public toward policymakers.

Pyo resigned from the Korea National Police University in 2012 in protest over the NIS’ alleged cybercampaign.

The profiler posted on his Twitter account, “President Park (Geun-hye), Cheong Wa Dae and the government blocked former NIS chief Won Se-hoon from being arrested (despite the illicit campaign activities). So I deny the legitimacy of the Park government. She is no longer the president to me.”

He also said the presidency will remain vacant for him until an eligible president is elected.

By Kim Yon-se (kys@heraldcorp.com)