S. Korea National Intelligence Service Agent's Suspected Activity During Presidential Race

http://www.opednews.com/articles/S-Korea-National-Intellig-by-Hyun-Song-130128-502.html S. Korea National Intelligence Service Agent's Suspected Activity During Presidential Race By Hyun Song (about the author)     Permalink       (Page 1 of 1 pages) OpEdNews Op Eds 1/30/2013 at 10:48:46

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(Article changed on January 30, 2013 at 18:45)
(Article changed on January 30, 2013 at 18:44)
(Article changed on January 30, 2013 at 16:29)

In S. Korea, the election is called the flower of democracy, since it's a chance for citizens to choose the direction that the country will head in the future. Hence, fairness in the election is essential to accurately represent public opinion. On Dec. 11, 2012, just eight days before the election, a report was received by police that a suspect was publishing comments on a website that denounced Jae-In Moon, the presidential candidate for the opposing Democratic party.

The police officers at the Suseo Police Station and officials at the National Election Committee in Seoul were quickly dispatched to investigate this report. The suspect whose last name is known as Kim was officially identified as a National Intelligence Service (NIS) employee. When the police asked Kim to turn in all of her personal computers for investigation, she denied all claims and refused to surrender her computers without a proper warrant. It was only after two days that Kim submitted her laptop and the desktop computers at her home to police.

Initially police announced that it would take up to one week to analyze Kim's computers. This event was one of the hot topics during the last presidential debate between Guen-hye Park (the current President-elected) from the ruling party and Jae-In Moon. The debate was broadcasted by major media channels KBS-MBC-SBS on Dec. 16, 2012, just 3 days before election. Unexpected captioning appeared on the TV screen just after the final round of the debate: the police had found around 40 IDs and nicknames on Kim's computers, but didn't find any evidence to support her involvement in the negative comments that appeared on the website. However, the website's server should have been properly investigated as well. The preliminary report of the police was premature since only Kim's personal computers were analyzed.

On January 3, 2013, fifteen days after the election, police officially announced that Kim had created 16 IDs, and expressed her "recommendation" or "disapproval" 288 times on one progressive website from Aug. 2012 to Dec. 2012. Kim's activity on this website showed certain trends: agreement with writings that supported Park and disagreements with writings that supported Moon, for a total of 99 writings. Kim claimed that her acts were simply personal expressions of her opinions, however, her assertion is absolutely unreasonable, since her activities were conducted during work hours for months. By January 25, 2013, police had investigated Kim three times.

Last week NIS sued Chang-won Pyo, an ex-professor at the Korean National Police University, for defamation of NIS saying his assertion gave negative impression of NIS. Some lawyers insist that Pyo should not be charged with the above mentioned defamation. Many Koreans living in Korea and overseas are asking the National Assembly to investigate this case through parliamentary inspection and are requesting a hearing to determine whether or not the NIS unfairly influenced the presidential election.

Koreans Allege Presidential Election Fraud

http://youtu.be/zLG9ylIiDqk


South Korea had the 18th presidential election (Dec 19, 2012) and approx. 250,000 people have signed the petition to request manual counting. 

As the current Lee Myung-bak government has been completely controlling the media, no Korean media has ever spoken for those 250,000 people. 

Although South Korean National Election Commission insists that they counted votes manually, many South Koreans believe electronic tabulating system was used and here's why: 

(1) Evidences of election rigging (http://j.mp/12wPstl ); and statement published by South Koreans and electors living overseas (http://j.mp/Wl0bQW) Please help us bring democracy back to our country. Thank you very much for your attention.

The 18th presidential election in Korea was completely fraudulent!

The 18th presidential election in Korea was completely fraudulent! 

- The Fifth Statement by Fellow South Koreans and Electors Overseas Who Want to Assure the Integrity of the 18th Presidential Election 

This statement is being written to show that the 18th presidential election was completely fraudulent. 

On December 19, 2012 we, the South Korean voters overseas from all over the world, eagerly exercised our right to vote for the presidential election in our home country. In spite of many voters having to travel long distances to vote we did not mind spending our time because we believed that this would contribute to a better future for our country. However, President Myungbak Lees administration did not keep their neutrality during the election. They actively participated and manipulated the election results in order to bring their partys candidate to victory with the aid of the National Intelligence Services (NIS) and the National Election Commission (NEC). Upon learning this we, the voters overseas, have come forward to protest against the election fraud. We wish to let these facts be known to everyone, both at home and abroad. 

We declare the 18th presidential election was won through election fraud committed by the South Korean government. We know this to be true for two main reasons: 

▲ 미국 재외투표소. 사진=민주회의     © 편집부

1. State agencies intervened in the election, which is illegal. 

Article 9 of the National Intelligence Services Act No Involvement in Politics strictly prohibits members of the NIS from committing "any acts of expressing supportive or negative opinions on any political parties or politicians, as well as any acts of spreading opinions or facts in praising or slandering any political parties or politicians in order to sway public opinion." In this election apparently a team of agents of the NIS committed such illegal acts. What a female agent on duty did with Internet postings in order to sway public opinions using 40 different user IDs was indeed a serious crime and likely a small part of the organized action by the agency. 

2. The National Election Commission failed to manage the election impartially to be in accordance with law. 

The Public Official Election Act and the Ballot Counting Manual of the NEC both stipulate that all ballots must be counted by hand and examined by the naked eye 2 or 3 times. The National Election Commission has repeatedly claimed that the ballot counting had been done by hand. However, evidence was found by many observers at the counting offices, demonstrated though photographic and video evidence, highlighting that hand counting was rarely done. Furthermore the National Election Commission made false statements about using computerized ballot counters and reportedly replaced the servers immediately following the counting. There were even times when some of the details of the race, that were being counted by the Election Commission, would be broad-casted on the SBS TV network earlier than the reports the Election Commission themselves were releasing. 

▲ 호주 재외투표소. 사진=민주회의     © 편집부

Hereby we, the South Korean voters overseas, demand the following: 

1. Won Se-Hun, the Chief of the NIS should be responsible for the intervention of the NIS in the presidential election. His involvement was a violation of the NIS Act and he should be dismissed immediately.

2. Kim Neung-Whan, former Chief of the NEC should be summoned for a parliamentary investigation and be prosecuted for not managing the election impartially as stipulated in the Election Law.

3. The court and the prosecution should remedy the injustice in the spirit of the South Korean Constitution and on the principles of democracy.

4. President Lee Myung-Bak should make a public apology and resign for having committed election fraud and for manipulating the ballot counting, where he should have kept a neutral position.

5. President-elect Park Geun-Hye should resign since her election was won through election fraud and manipulation of ballot counting. There is a strong suspicion that Kim Mu-Seong, the head of the Election Committee of her party (Saenuri) also played a role in the election fraud.

6. All political parties and organizations, including the ruling party and the opposing party, should acknowledge that the 18th presidential election was fraudulent and should make every effort to thoroughly investigate the extent of the fraud. 

Feb 5th, 2013 

Fellow South Koreans and Electors Overseas Who Want to Assure the Integrity of the 18th Presidential Election 

As pope resigns, Africa hopes for rise of its own

Published : 2013-02-12 09:29
Updated : 2013-02-12 09:29

Catholic worshippers and clergy in Africa, where the church is rapidly growing, greeted the news Monday of Pope Benedict XVI's impending retirement with surprise, respect, and a question: Could the next pontiff be from their continent?

Some 176 million people in Africa are Catholic _ roughly a third of all Christians across the continent _ according to a December 2011 study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Meanwhile, the number of Catholics in Europe, the traditional stronghold of the church, has dropped in recent years.

That has led some to wonder if the church's leader should be someone from Latin America or Africa.

“I think we would have a better chance of getting someone outside of the northern hemisphere this time, because there are some really promising cardinals from other parts of the world,” Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of South Africa told The Associated Press. “It's a question of where is the kind of (and) the quality of leadership evident at the moment: Coming from a growing background rather than a holding or a maintenance background?”

The African nation with the biggest Christian population, Nigeria, has some 20 million practicing Catholics. In Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, trader Chukwuma Awaegwu put his feelings bluntly: “If I had my way, an African should be the next pope, or someone from Nigeria.”

“It's true: they brought the religion to us. But we have come of age,” he said. “In America, now we have a black president. So let's just feel the impact of a black pope.”

The pope said he would resign effective 8 p.m. local time on Feb. 28. Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, a Nigerian who was made a cardinal in November by Benedict, told the AP that he thought Catholics would accept the pontiff's decision as “God's will, and the church will keep moving.”

“Popes come and popes go. It doesn't mean when a pope comes the church completely changes, now. It isn't like a politician who wins an election and begins to implement manifestos,” Onaiyekan said. “It is a different ball game altogether, and I hope people out there realize that.”

The most prominent African cardinal mentioned as a possible first black pope was Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria. But he retired from the Vatican office in charge of rules for celebrating the liturgy around the world in 2008 and is 80, making him an unlikely choice.

Another discussed is Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana, who was named to head the Vatican's justice and peace office in 2009. Turkson is 64 and still works in the Vatican.

Cardinal Theodore Adrien Sarr of Senegal told journalists Monday that he had often pondered the idea of a pope from Africa.

“I've been wondering about such a question since so many years now,” Sarr said. “But is the church ready to have a pope from Africa? Is the entire world ready to accept a pope from Africa?” (AP)

Footballer Park Jong-woo awaiting result after IOC hearing on Olympic celebration

Published : 2013-02-12 09:13
Updated : 2013-02-12 09:13

After attending an International Olympic Committee (IOC) disciplinary hearing over his Olympic celebration here Monday, South Korean football player Park Jong-woo said he will calmly await its outcome.

The IOC's Disciplinary Commission held a meeting over Park's celebration after South Korea's 2-0 victory over Japan for the bronze medal in men's football at the London Olympics last year.

Park hoisted a sign that read, in Korean, "Dokdo Is Our Territory," in support of South Korea's sovereignty over its easternmost islets, to which Japan has also laid claims. Dokdo has been a source of diplomatic tension between the neighbors for years.

The IOC's Olympic Charter prohibits any display of political statements by participating athletes, coaches and fans during the Olympics. Park was barred from the medal ceremony and has not yet received a bronze medal.

After the closed-door meeting at a Lausanne hotel, which lasted over an hour, Park told a throng of journalists, mostly Japanese, that he'd done his part.

"I gave my best and fully cooperated with the investigation," the player said. "I expect a good outcome."

Park declined to answer further questions from the media as he left the hotel. He and accompanying attorneys had rehearsed their presentation in South Korea before leaving for Switzerland, as they tried to explain to the IOC members that Park's action had not been premeditated or intentional.

Park Yong-sung, the chairman of the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC), also accompanied the player to the meeting. Park Yong-sung told South Korean reporters that the player "did everything he could" before the IOC members at the hearing.

"The IOC members heard what Jeffrey Jones, Park's attorney, had to say, and some directed their questions to the player," the KOC chief said. "Some nodded their heads as they listened to the presentation. Even if we don't get the result that we want, we will accept it as our fate."

In December, FIFA, the international governing body of football, suspended Park for two matches and fined him 3,500 Swiss francs (US$3,810) for his "unsporting behavior." The penalty was so lenient that Park wasn't even allowed to appeal.

The IOC will use FIFA's decision as a reference when it issues its own disciplinary ruling.

The Disciplinary Commission will report its decision to the IOC's Executive Board, which will meet on Tuesday in Lausanne. The final disciplinary decision on Park is expected later Tuesday.

Though the relatively light punishment by FIFA has led to speculation that Park will eventually collect the bronze medal, South Korean officials have said that the IOC has adopted a "no-mercy" stance on political messages during the Olympics and that they're bracing themselves for disappointment. (Yonhap News)

Man United opens 12-point lead

Published : 2013-02-11 19:57
Updated : 2013-02-11 19:57

LONDON (AP) ― Manchester United opened a season-high 12-point lead in the English Premier League, defeating Everton 2-0 Sunday on goals by Ryan Giggs and Robin van Persie.

The 40-year-old Giggs beat American goalkeeper Tim Howard in the 13th minute at Old Trafford to become the only person to score in every season of the Premier League, which began in 1992-93.

Van Persie scored in first-half stoppage time, his league-high 19th goal this season.

Hamburg’s Son Heung-min celebrates his goal against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. The Korean scored twice in the 4-1 German league victory. (AP-Yonhap News)

Seeking to extend its record for league titles to 20, Manchester United (21-3-2) has 65 points, while defending champion Manchester City (15-3-8) has 53 following Saturday’s 3-1 loss at Southampton.

“We’ve got to win our games regardless of what happens with City and if we concentrate on our own games, we’ll be OK,” United manager Alex Ferguson said.

United plays at Real Madrid on Wednesday in the first leg of the second round of the Champions League.

“I was going to make about seven changes to the game but when I saw yesterday’s result, I changed that because we knew if we got a result it would put us in a fantastic position,” Ferguson said.

Everton (10-4-12) is sixth with 42 points, six behind fourth-place Tottenham for the final Champions League berth.

Spain

Lionel Messi extended his Spanish league record by scoring in his 13th straight match, and Barcelona routed visiting Getafe 6-1.

Andres Iniesta passed to Alexis Sanchez for the opening goal in the sixth minute, and Messi scored in the 13th off another move started by Iniesta.

Messi’s goal was his league-leading 35th in the league this season and 46th in all competitions. It was the 299th of his Barcelona career in all competitions.

David Villa, Cristian Tello, Iniesta and Gerard Pique scored second-half goals for Barcelona (20-1-2), which was missing Xavi Hernandez because of a muscle injury in his right leg that is expected to sideline him for two weeks.

Barcelona opened a 12-point lead over second-place Atletico Madrid (16-4-2), which lost 2-1 at Rayo Vallecano in a Spanish capital derby. Defending champion Real Madrid (14-5-4) is in third place, 16 points back.

Italy

Mario Balotelli converted an 82nd-minute penalty kick for his third goal in two games, giving AC Milan a 1-1 tie at Cagliari.

Balotelli, who scored twice in his debut last weekend following his transfer from Manchester City, scored after he was fouled by Davide Astori. Victor Ibarbo had put the host ahead in the 45th minute when he headed in Daniele Conti’s free kick.

AC Milan (12-7-5) dropped into fifth with 41 points, two behind Inter Milan (13-7-4), which beat Chievo Verona 3-1 on goals by Antonio Cassano in the second minute, Andrea Ranocchia in the 26th and Diego Milito in the 50th.

Ninth-place Roma (10-10-4) lost 3-1 at Sampdoria in its first match since Aurelio Andreazzoli replaced Zdenek Zeman on an interim basis.

France

Paris Saint-Germain’s lead in the French league grew over the weekend when its 3-1 Friday win over Bastia was followed Sunday by second-place Lyon’s 3-1 loss at home to Lille and third-place Marseille’s 1-1 tie at Evian.

Lille built a 3-0 lead on goals by Aurelien Chedjou in the 28th minute and Florent Balmont in the 45th followed by Salomon Kalou’s penalty kick in the 50th after Milan Bisevac was called for a hand ball. Lisandro Lopez was tripped by Franck Beria and converted a penalty kick in the 57th for Lyon (13-5-6), which is six points back.

Germany

Defender Pavel Krmas scored on a header off a corner kick in the 87th minute to give Freiburg a 1-0 victory over Fortuna Duesseldorf and move his team up to fifth in the Bundesliga.

Mainz gained a 1-1 draw at next-to-last Augsburg.

Brazil Carnival honors S. Korea, Korean immigrants

Published : 2013-02-11 20:15
Updated : 2013-02-11 20:15

Revellers of Unidos de Vila Maria samba school perform honoring Korean immigration in Brazil, during the second night of the carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Sunday. (AFP -Yonhap News)

SAO PAULO (AFP) ― With samba music and allegorical pageantry, the Brazilian Carnival pays glowing tribute this year to South Korea’s ancient culture and technological prowess, and to 50 years of Korean immigration.

Friday, South Korean popstar Psy was a star guest at Carnival celebrations in the northeastern city of Salvador, wowing the crowd with his “Gangnam Style” hit that made Internet history last December by clocking more than one billion views on YouTube.

Saturday, he was warmly applauded as he watched the sumptuous parades of samba schools at the Sambodrome parade ground in Rio.

But the accolade to South Korea was taken to new heights in Sao Paulo early Sunday with a spectacular parade by 4,000 members of a local samba school on the theme “Made in Korea.”

“We are paying tribute to the courage, perseverance and dedication of Korean immigrants in this country,” Isabel Napolitano, an official of the 50-year-old Unidos de Vila Maria samba school, told AFP at the 30,000-seat Sao Paulo sambodrome.

“We are representing Korean history, culture and technology with five allegorical floats,” she said.

Led by samba queens hoisting Brazilian and South Korean flags, a Psy impersonator danced “Gangnam Style” atop a giant dragon float surrounded by performers illustrating Korean folklore and mythology.

Another float in the form of a huge tiger symbolized the economic strength of the Asian Tigers, particularly the phenomenal growth of South Korea from the 1970s to 1990s.

One section of the parade focused on the Korean martial art of taekwondo, with a skillful display by dozens of practitioners led by master instructor Yao Jun Kim, who has been living in Brazil for 35 years.

Another wing celebrated Korean gastronomy while another depicted a gold course.

“It’s fantastic, a very authentic, very Brazilian tribute,” Jonas Chun, a South Korean photographer who has been living in Brazil since 1972, told AFP as he snapped pictures of the parade.

At the Rio Sambodrome, another samba school, Inocentes de Belford Roxo, was also to pay its own colorful homage to Korean culture, with a theme called “the Seven confluences of the Han River” invoking the protection of the ancient Korean wind goddess Yondung Halmoni.

“It’s a historic moment, a recognition of the contribution Koreans have made to Brazilian society,” said Marcelo Choi, vice president of the Sao Paulo-based Korean-Brazilian Association.