Korean Calque: National Defense Security Command, Resumes Illegal Civilian Surveillance

Congresswoman Lee Jung Hee released a notebook which belongs to an officer of the National Defense Security Command who had been tailing after some people including a NGO worker.

» Congresswoman Lee Jung Hee (Democratic Labor Party) is showing a National Defense Security Command officer's ID card, military vehicle registration card, and a notebook claiming that he was illegally tailing a dozen people including some NGO members and a Democratic Labor Party employee. -Kim, Bongkyu bong9@hani.co.kr

There is a new claim that the National Defense Security Command has been illegally spying on and filming civilians. As the responsibilities of the National Defense Security Command are limited to military information gathering, criticism of it for spying on civilians and invading their privacy is inevitable.

On August 12, 2009, congresswoman Lee Jung Hee (Democratic Labor Party) held a press conference at the National Assembly saying, "It turned out that Lee Myung-Bak administration spied on several civilians through the National Defense Security Command." She also presented a notebook, an ID, and video clips which belong to officer Shin who was at the Pyeong-Taek demonstration. Those who attended the demonstration had gathered to condemn the heavy-handed tactics used by the police to suppress the Ssang-yong Automobile Union's protest.

The notebook shows evidence of police surveillance of civilians, including NGO workers and a Democratic Labor party employee (none of whom have a connection with the military), organized by date and time and taking place in January and July this year. The records note such activities as trips to a market to buy underwear, eating Bul-go-gi and cold noodles at a restaurant, and going out for Karaoke. It basically shows that there was a 24-hour surveillance on these civilians.

A page written on July 24 shows 'CCTV installation' and 'working with police', and so it raises the question of whether the police are collaborating with the National Defense Security Command in their civilian surveillance program. Also a memo on May 11 has a list of demands such as access to a full-size car and leasing a property long-term, suggesting that the surveillance was intended to be both systematic and ongoing. The notebook listed the names of 16 people including 7 civilians and 1 Democratic Labor Party employee.

The released video clips show that the National Defense Security Command officer secretly filmed the civilians as they carried out ordinary activities such as waiting for a bus and entering and leaving their apartments and offices.

Ms. Lee said, "The National Defense Security Command cannot investigate or gather information on civilians except as necessary for national security or military defense. According to the Military Law Article 44, spying on civilians is an illegal activity, therefore the authorities must find the people responsible and investigate it."

A statement released by the National Defense Security Command stated, "The Captain [i.e., the official who carried out the surveillance] went to Pyeong-Taek because an officer suspected of carrying out unlawful acts with regard to national security was likely to participate in the protest during his furlough. He [Captain Shin] was not spying on civilians, but was investigating them for any evidence of criminal activity related to the military."