NPAD mulls boycott of Intelligence Committee

The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy is considering "possible boycott" of the parliamentary Intelligence Committee over suspicions surrounding the National Intelligence Service`s hacking of civilians. NPAD is effectively using "brinkmanship" strategy by trumpeting the meaninglessness of holding additional Intelligence Committee meetings unless NIS submits more than 30 pieces of data including log files from the hacking program in question. However, the ruling Saenuri Party refuted the claim, saying that raising suspicion over hacking is an act that poses threat to national security.

Rep. Shin Kyung-min, a secretary for the intelligence committee, said on Tuesday, “Now that the committee has been found to be incompetent in securing evidence, we have the belief that we must find other ways,” hinting at its possible boycott of Intelligence Committee meetings. “NIS has inspected and verified on its own suspicions surrounding its hacking (of civilians), and the ruling party and NIS have even issued indulgence,” NPAD floor leader Lee Jong-geol said. “This case will be a cause of trouble to the president even after the end of the administration.”

In contrast, the Saenuri Party claims that since suspicions have been addressed, no further materials should be submitted in consideration of security concern. “The opposition party is demanding materials that would reveal the intelligence agency’s entire cyberwar capacity, while continuously raising suspicion,” Saenuri floor leader Won Yoo-chul said. “The biggest beneficiary of the case in which (the opposition party) unconditionally raises suspicion over NIS hacking will be North Korea.”