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지나쌤

Ex-defense minister grilled over alleged political meddling

By Yonhap

Published : Feb. 27, 2018 - 10:07

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Former Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin was questioned by prosecutors on Tuesday over allegations that he tried to undermine the ministry's internal probe into suspected political interference by the military's cyber command ahead of the 2012 presidential election.

Kim appeared at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in the morning.

"I will explain myself to the prosecution," he told reporters.

He is accused of pressuring his ministry's officials into toning down and covering up an internal probe into a massive political maneuver carried out by the military's cyber command aimed at influencing public opinion in favor of the then-ruling party presidential candidate, Park Geun-hye.

Former Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin answers reporters` questions at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors` Office on Tuesday. (Yonhap) Former Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin answers reporters` questions at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors` Office on Tuesday. (Yonhap)

The former chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff headed the ministry from 2010-2014. Three of his officials have been arrested for allegedly following his orders to block the investigation.

Following its 2013-14 probe into the alleged political meddling by the cyberwarfare wing, the Criminal Investigation Command under the defense ministry concluded that no top officials were involved in the scheme that violated rules about maintaining political neutrality.

But in a recently reopened probe, a former military investigator has made statements indicating that had Kim issued direct orders regarding the internal probe into the command's suspected political meddling. (Yonhap)

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