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A record of conversations between Kim Man-bok, the head of the National Intelligence Service, and Kim Yang-gon, the director of the United Front Department of the North's ruling Workers' Party, has been leaked to the news media. The South Korean intelligence chief visited North Korea a day before the presidential election here. The purpose of the trip had already been under suspicion, given the timing. The NIS said Kim went to discuss the placement of a stone plaque for a tree planted in commemoration of last October¡¯s inter-Korean summit. Nobody believes that outlandish excuse.
At this point the record of the conversation was leaked to the media. But the record of the conversation between the intelligence chief of South Korea and North Korea¡¯s chief of clandestine operations in the South is just as shoddy as the excuse about the tree. The North Korean official, who is known to be an expert on South Korean affairs, asks the NIS chief whether he will keep his post in the new administration. The remainder of the conversation sounds simply too casual and relaxed to believe considering it took place a day before South Korea¡¯s presidential elections.
What¡¯s especially striking is that the South Korean intelligence chief told his North Korean counterpart that candidate Lee Myung-bak is certain to be elected president, that the Grand National Party¡¯s policy regarding the communist country would not shift dramatically from the path of engagement, and that more aggressive pro-North policies could be pursued after South Korean conservatives finally have a chance to be convinced. In other words, the record shows only good things being said about the president elect and the GNP. In the end, there is nothing about the record of the conversation that could become a problem; it is simply a tool that supports the NIS chief. It is only natural to believe that the record was intentionally doctored to be presented to president-elect Lee¡¯s Transition Committee and leaked to the press.
The Transition Committee says it will investigate details of the leak so it will soon become clear who was behind it. One official at the Transition Committee said the NIS chief apparently leaked the record on purpose. If that¡¯s true, it would be appalling. North Korea must have laughed for hours after learning of this.
Regardless of how it was leaked, the key question is why the NIS chief had to meet his North Korean counterpart a day before the presidential election. It seems an inquiry will be necessary
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