 ▲ 윤석열 정부 용산 대통령실 청사 ©뉴시스 |
대통령실이 18일 미국 검찰이 수미 테리 미국외교협회(CFR) 선임연구원을 기소하는 과정서 국정원 요원 활동상이 노출된 사안 관련해 '지난 문재인 정부 시절 일어난 일로 관련자들 감찰·문책을 검토하겠다'고 밝혔다.
대통령실 고위 관계자는 이날 오전 용산 대통령실에서 취재진과 만나 '국정원 요원이 노출된 부분에 정부 차원 감찰이나 문책이 진행 중인가'란 질의에 "좋은 지적이고 검토해보겠다"며 이같이 답했다.
그러면서 "감찰·문책하면 아무래도 문재인 정권을 감찰하거나 문책해야 할 상황"이라며 "(국정원 요원이) 사진에 찍히고 한 게 다 문재인 정권서 일어난 일"이라고 밝혔다.
또 "당시 문재인 정부가 정권잡고 국정원에서 전문적 외부 활동을 할 수 있는 요원들을 다 쳐내고 아마추어 같은 사람들로 채우니까 그런 이야기가 나왔던 것 같다"고 덧붙였다.
앞서 미국 뉴욕 남부지검은 16일(현지시간) 수미 테리 연구원을 외국대리인등록법(FARA) 위반 혐의로 기소했다. 공개된 공소장에 따르면 수미 테리는 지난 2013년부터 지난해 6월께까지 국정원 간부 요청으로 전·현직 미 정부 관리와의 만남을 주선하는 등 한국 정부 대리인 역할을 했고, 그 대가로 명품 핸드백·연구활동비 등을 받았으나 본인은 혐의를 부인 중인 것으로 전해졌다.
*아래는 위 기사를 '구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의 [전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.
The President's Office, in response to exposure of the National Intelligence Service's activities in the United States, "reviewed inspection and disciplinary action during the Moon Jae-in administration."
“It seems that such a story arose because the Moon Jae-in administration at the time took power and eliminated all agents who could engage in professional external activities in the National Intelligence Service and filled it with amateurs.”
-kihong Kim reporter
The President's Office announced on the 18th that, in relation to the case in which the activities of NIS agents were exposed during the U.S. prosecution's indictment of Sumy Terry, a senior researcher at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), "We will consider inspecting and reprimanding those involved due to what happened during the previous Moon Jae-in administration."
A high-ranking official from the President's Office met with reporters at the President's Office in Yongsan this morning and responded to the question, "Is there any government-level inspection or disciplinary action in progress regarding the areas where NIS agents were exposed?" by saying, "It's a good point and we will review it."
At the same time, he said, “If we inspect and reprimand, we are in a situation where we will have to inspect or reprimand the Moon Jae-in administration,” and added, “Whatever (the National Intelligence Service agent) did in the photo happened during the Moon Jae-in administration.”
He also added, “I think that story came about because the Moon Jae-in government at the time took power and eliminated all agents who could engage in professional external activities at the National Intelligence Service and filled it with amateurish people.”
Earlier, on the 16th (local time), the U.S. Prosecutor's Office for the Southern District of New York indicted researcher Sumi Terry on charges of violating the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA). According to the published indictment, from 2013 to June of last year, Sumi Terry acted as an agent for the Korean government, including arranging meetings with former and current U.S. government officials at the request of National Intelligence Service executives, and in return received luxury handbags and research activity expenses. However, he is said to be denying the charges.
