국가정보원이 표창원 전 경찰대 교수를 명예훼손 혐의 고소건에 대해 검찰이 수사할 필요성이 없다고 본 사실이 알려졌다.
20일 서울중앙지검 공안1부(부장검사 이현철)는 지난해 1월 표 전 교수가 신문칼럼에 기고한 글의 내용이 국정원의 명예를 훼손했다며 국정원 감찰실장이 접수한 고소건을 각하 처분했다고 전했다.
검찰은 고소장이 접수된 지 1년여 지난 올해 2월말 표 전 교수에 대한 추가조사 없이 사건을 종결하는 절차인 각하 처분을 결정했다.
앞서 표창원 전 교수는 지난해 1월 한 일간지에 기고한 칼럼에서 "국정원은 위기다. 정치관료가 국정원을 장악해 정보와 예산, 인력들을 정치적으로 이용하고 있다. 국제 첩보 세계에서 조롱거리가 될 정도로 무능화·무력화돼 있다"고 언급한 바 있다.
검찰 관계자는 "무혐의가 명백했기 때문에 각하 처분했다"며 "국가기관이 명예훼손 피해자가 될 수 없다는 판례가 있고 신문칼럼 내용도 사실적시가 아닌 의견표명에 해당하는 점을 고려했다"고 밝혔다.
표창원 명백한 무혐의 소식을 접한 네티즌들은 "표창원 명백한 무혐의, 이렇게 됐군" "표창원 명백한 무혐의, 국가정보원의 실책?" "표창원 명백한 무혐의, 이런" 등의 반응을 보였다. (onlinenews@heraldcorp.com)
Prosecution rejects NIS suit against criminal profiler
The prosecution has turned down litigation from the National Intelligence Service against renowned criminal profiler Pyo Chang-won.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said Sunday that it has dismissed the NIS’ defamation suit against Pyo, former professor of the Korean National Police University. It said no charge was found from Pyo’s written view.
In January 2013, Pyo claimed in a newspaper column that “the NIS faces a crisis as political heavyweights are exploiting its information, budget and manpower for political purposes.”
In particular, the NIS honed in on the part of his writing that claimed the agency “appears to have become a mockery in the international intelligence sector due to its incompetence.”
Over the NIS’ libel action against him, the prosecution cited a judicial precedent stipulating that a state agency cannot be victim of a defamation suit. It added that his column was based on his individual views, not on concrete facts.
The Supreme Court had ruled that neither the government nor a state agency can be victim to libel action under criminal law. Broadcaster MBC’s program “PD Notebook” had been indicted for undermining the government’s honor for its report on U.S. beef imports in 2008.
Pyo reportedly said that he hopes state agencies would not abuse litigations for the simple purpose of quelling criticism and anger from the public toward policymakers.
Pyo resigned from the Korea National Police University in 2012 in protest over the NIS’ alleged cybercampaign.
The profiler posted on his Twitter account, “President Park (Geun-hye), Cheong Wa Dae and the government blocked former NIS chief Won Se-hoon from being arrested (despite the illicit campaign activities). So I deny the legitimacy of the Park government. She is no longer the president to me.”
He also said the presidency will remain vacant for him until an eligible president is elected.
By Kim Yon-se (kys@heraldcorp.com)
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