By Kang Ji-Hyun
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon filed a complaint with the prosecution against former President Lee Myung-bak, accusing him of defamation, abuse of power and obstruction of justice.
Park said the National Intelligence Service (NIS) systematically conducted illegal surveillance on him and spread groundless rumors about him and his family during the 2008-2013 Lee Myung-bak administration.
The prosecution has already been looking into the spy agency over allegations it worked to serve the former president's interest, breaching the NIS Law that prohibits intervention in domestic politics.
"I believe this should be done for the future of Korea. What Lee did damaged the core principles of democracy," Park said during a speech at the National Assembly before lodging the complaint with the prosecution. "Lee's oppression hurt me personally, my family, young jobseekers, irregular workers and employees of the Seoul Metropolitan Government."
Beside Lee, Mayor Park's complaint accused 10 others, including former National Intelligence Service chief Won Sei-hoon.
Park said recently disclosed documents proved there had clearly been operations conducted against him.
"I believe this deserves adequate investigation," Park said.
The documents, drafted by the NIS, called Park's city governance too liberal and included detailed action plans to create negative public opinions on his policies.
The mayor has pressed for policies such as free lunches for students, halving university tuition fees and offering young jobseekers allowances without any strings attached.
"The documents also showed 19 rallies against me waged by conservative protesters," Park said. "False information about my family and derogatory online messages really hurt me. But I didn't see any investigation."
Park's complaint against the former president comes amid the prosecution's investigation into the NIS's attempts to control media and public opinion during the December 2012 presidential election.
Established to handle national security, the NIS is not allowed to meddle in politics according to its charter. The NIS allegedly made a blacklist of artists, actors, actresses and TV producers, posted fake photographs of a naked actor and actress who were critical of the government, and paid volunteers to flood the internet with pro-conservative government messages.
On Tuesday, Rep. Lee Jeong-mi of the Justice Party also said she will seek to have former President Lee testify before the National Assembly during a congressional audit of government environmental affairs in October.
Lee spearheaded the controversial Four Major Rivers Restoration Project. Completed in 2012, his government spent 22.2 trillion won ($17.3 million) on building dams along the country's four major rivers which eventually slowed water flow and caused ecological damage.
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