Ex-spy chief apologizes over remarks on NIS X-files

▲ This Nov. 25, 2021, file photo shows former chief of the National Intelligence Service Park Jie-won. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

ex-spy chief-apology

Ex-spy chief apologizes over remarks on NIS X-files

SEOUL, June 11 (Yonhap) -- A former spy chief apologized Saturday for speaking publicly about an archive of secret "X-files" kept by the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

Former NIS Director Park Jie-won, who left the agency last month, told a local radio station on Friday that the files were created over the past 60 years from the governments of President Park Chung-hee to President Park Geun-hye and contained mostly unconfirmed rumors about politicians, entrepreneurs, journalists and others, including love affairs.

He lamented that he was unable to legislate a special bill to destroy the files.

The NIS called out Park in a press release Saturday, saying it was "inappropriate" for a former director to publicly speak about information he had obtained while in office, regardless of whether it was true or not.

The agency also urged him to refrain from publicly speaking about the NIS again.

Park posted an apology on social media, saying, "Regardless of the reason, if it is burdensome to the NIS of which I was a part and am proud, and its employees, then from now on, I will be more careful in my public remarks," he wrote.

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