Ex-spy chief says NIS keeps 60-yr archive of X-files on key figures

▲ This Nov. 25, 2021, file photo shows former chief of the National Intelligence Service Park Jie-won. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

ex-spy chief-x-file

Ex-spy chief says NIS keeps 60-yr archive of X-files on key figures

SEOUL, June 10 (Yonhap) -- The National Intelligence Service (NIS) has an archive of secret "X-files" on politicians, entrepreneurs, journalists and other people created over the past decades, a former spy chief said Friday.

Former NIS Director Park Jie-won, who left the agency last month, said during a CBS radio interview that the files were created over the past 60 years from the government of former President Park Chung-hee to the government of former President Park Geun-hye and remain in the main server of the intelligence agency.

The information contained in the files is mostly unconfirmed rumors, such as love affairs and how politicians increased assets, Park said.

"I wished to legislate a special bill to destroy the files, but I failed," Park said, calling the files "an unfortunate history of rival political parties."

The NIS was prohibited from undertaking domestic surveillance operations under a revision to a related law in late 2020 under the Moon Jae-in administration, as part of efforts to reform the agency once accused of illegal surveillance and interference in politics.

Park, a veteran liberal politician, also said he plans to return to the main opposition Democratic Party later this week.

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