A South Korean Citizen Reports President Moon Jae-in as a Spy

2020-1-7, Tara O

A man reported Moon Jae-in as a spy by calling emergency hotlines.  He was transferred around or asked to call other emergency numbers. It appears that those who answered the calls did not want to deal with this “hot potato” issue.

This video may be censored at some point–e.g., video access denial, video removal, the infamous “yellow dollar sign” that prevents the YouTuber from earning income, etc.–because these censorship activities have happened to other videos that do not reflect the same political views as the Moon administration and the ruling party.  The “yellow dollar sign” issue was not as wide-spread until Moon appointed Han Sang-hyeok (한상혁) as the new Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) in August 2019. The Blue House and the ruling party have tried to censor YouTube videos, but it appears to have stepped up after Han became the KCC Chair, a position that reports directly to the president.  Han vowed to fight “fake news,” which he has not defined, but the tendency of the Moon administration and the ruling party is to label any criticism of the Moon administration or different political views as “fake news.” Han stated “fake news does not get the protection of freedom of speech.”  For previous efforts to suppress freedom of speech on YouTube, see here, here, here, here, and here.

The below is the transcript of the above video.  “C” is the caller. The answering side is the emergency hotline (by dialing 3 digits, 113, 110, or 111).

Automated voice on the police side (113):

• “To report a spy, press #1.”
• “Please Wait.”
• “Once connected to the police, this phone call will be recorded.”

“Ring, ring”

A person at 113 answers:  “This is an emergency hotline 113.”

C:  “Oh yes, is this where I can report a spy?”

113:  “A spy?”

C:  “Yes, yes”

113:  “Go ahead and say.  What is the issue?”

C:  “Yes, I’d like to report a spy.”

113:  “I see. How did you get to know about it?  Please tell me slowly.”

C:  “I’d like to report Mr. Moon Jae-in.”

113:…(pause)

113:  “(sigh) You’d like to report President Moon Jae-in?”

C:  “Yes, yes.”

113:  “Well….please call 110 and get their guidance.”

C:  “Isn’t 110 a General Civil Service Office?”

113:  “Yes, please call 110 and …(pause)”

C:  “Isn’t this 113?

113:  “NIS, NIS”

C:  “Yes.”

113:  “Ask them to connect you to the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and get their advice.”

C:  “Oh, connect with NIS?”

113:  “Yes, yes.”

C:  “OK, I understand.”

113:  “Please call 110.”

(On hold during the call to the NIS)

Automated Voice:  “This is the NIS 111 Hotline.  If you’re using a smartphone, it’s possible to report or consult through the mobile webpage.  To connect to the mobile webpage, press #1. To talk directly with an associate, press #2. Thank you.  I’ll connect you to an associate.”

“Ring, ring”

NIS:  “How are you.  This is the National Intelligence Service.”

C:  “Oh, yes. I’m calling to report a spy.”

NIS:  “Yes, please tell me what this is about.”

C:  “Yes, it’s about Mr. Moon Jae-in.”

NIS:  … (pause)

NIS:  “You want to report the president as a spy?”

C:  “Yes, yes.”

NIS:  … (pause)

NIS:  “Please wait a minute.  I’ll connect you to another associate.”

C:  “OK.”

(On hold while being transferred)

NIS 2:  “Hello”

C:  “Yes, I’m calling to report a spy.”

NIS 2:  “I see. Please go ahead and say.”

C:  “Yes, I’d like to report Mr. Moon Jae-in as a spy.  What is the procedure?”

NIS 2:  … (pause)

NIS 2:  “Oh, what..the..what suspicion do you want to report?”

C:  “I’d like to report him for suspicion of violating the National Security Law.  When I call 111, they tell me to call 110, and when I call 110, then they tell me to call 113, and when I call 113, then they transfer me somewhere else and continues to transfer to me to someone else, so precisely…”

NIS 2:  “The place you called now is the National Intelligence Service.”

C:  “Yes, that is correct.”

NIS 2:  “And our phone number is 111.  You can report it to the National Intelligence Service.  You can also report it to the prosecutors or the police.”

C:  “Yes, yes, I know that as well.  I know that I can report by calling any of these numbers 111, 113, 110.”

NIS 2:  “I see.”

C:  “No matter where I call, they avoid as soon as I say the word ‘Moon Jae-in.’ There’s no law that states the president is not a spy, and if you look at the actions he has taken, it’s almost certain he’s a spy.  So why won’t anyone take my reporting?”

NIS 2:  “Is there…what…something…like an evidence that…(he is) a spy?”

C:  “There are so many.  Should I deliver them to you personally?”

NIS 2:  “Oh, our place is not where one can visit.”

C:  “Then I just describe verbally?”

NIS 2:  “Yes, yes.”

C:  “In that case, a while back, met with China and transferred oil to North Korea.  Have you heard of it?”

NIS 2:  “Transferred oil to North  Korea?”

C:  “Yes, yes.  ₩7 trillion (~$6 billion) worth.”

NIS 2:  “Who transferred?”

C:  “It was about the oil transfer to North Korea on the orders of Mr. Moon Jae-in.”

NIS 2:  “Who transferred?”

C:  “Republic of Korea to North Korea.”

NIS 2:  “How do you know?”

C:  “It’s in foreign press.”

NIS 2:  “Oh, the foreign press.”

C:  “Yes.”

NIS 2:  “Foreign press.  In which foreign newspaper is the article? Could you let me know?”

C:  “If you give me a mailing address, isn’t it better for me to just mail it?”

NIS 2:  “Oh, in that case, if you go to the NIS homepage, there’s a way to report.”

C:  “Yes, yes.”

NIS 2:  “If you go to the NIS homepage, there’s a way to report, but if you can this…this…this…you could add the content of the foreign press news.  Then the department in charge will verify and will do something.” 

C:  “What I’m curious, although that (I’m calling) NIS, a place to catch spies, and despite me reporting a spy, there probably isn’t a chance to catch Moon Jae-in as a spy, right?”

NIS 2: “Well, that depends on what you report.  If you can provide a proof (that he is) a spy, depending on what it is, there can be an inquiry or investigation.  If it’s based on just news reports, then it needs to be verified, and whether there was a violation of the law or not, that depends on the department in charge to determine.”

C:  “Is that so?”

NIS 2:  “Yes, yes.”

C:  “Then, again this time, I’ll also place trust, and will send (the information).”

NIS 2:  “Yes, your name…is it possible to tell me your name?”

C:  “Oh, must a reporting person provide his name?”

NIS 2:  “Anonymous is OK too.  If you can tell me your name, then…”

C:  “My name is Choi Tae-woon.  It’s not a problem to tell you my name, it’s Choi Tae-woon, but really, should the person reporting give his name?”

NIS 2:  “Oh, when we receive a reporting, contact information or name…”

C:  “Isn’t my contact information there anyway?”

NIS 2:  “(The procedure is that) we try to verify something like this. If the department in charge needs additional information, and has additional questions for you–it’s for a situation like that.”

C:  (small laugh) “Hmm, I haven’t heard.  OK, I understand. If you need anything, please call anytime.”

NIS 2:  “If you go to the NIS homepage, you can submit the press reporting.”

C:  “OK.”

NIS 2:  “Good bye.”

C:  “Good bye.”

This is not the first time Moon Jae-in has been accused of being a spy.  On February 23, 2017, citizens Choi Dae-jip (최대집) and Park Sung-hyeon (박성현) filed charges with the Prosecutor-General’s Office, asking them to investigate Moon and 14 others.  They accused Moon Jae-in, then the leader of Deobureo Minjoo Party (Democratic Party of Korea), of espionage, abetting espionage, instigating a rebellion, treason-aiding the enemy (이적죄), treason-joining with the enemy to destroy the country (여적죄), and violating the National Security Law.

Among the 14 charged is Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon (박원순), who was accused of abetting espionage, instigating a rebellion, and violating the National Security Law.

In September 2018, Doe Tae-woo, a lawyer, filed a charge against Moon Jae-in for the crime of treason-joining with the enemy to destroy the country (여적죄).  Doe pointed out that by signing the inter-Korea Military Agreement of September 2018, which is designed to implement the Panmunjeom Declaration of April 2018, Moon violated the Constitution, specifically the duty of territorial preservation (Article 66, Section 2) and the duty of national security (Article 69).  He further explained that by abandoning the existing boundary of the Northern Limit Line and giving the territorial waters to the enemy, Moon committed acts hostile to the Republic of Korea, which is treason.