By Ryu Jin
Staff Reporter

South Korea’s intelligence chief has tendered his resignation, citing health reasons, according to informed sources yesterday. President Roh Moo-hyun will likely accept the resignation soon when he selects a candidate for the post, a Chong Wa Dae official said.

Ko Young-koo, 68, director of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), delivered his intention to step down to Roh last week, when an ad hoc panel of the NIS released interim results of its investigation of the organization’s past misdeeds.

Chong Wa Dae officials said that although Ko cited health problems, it also comes as the reform process of the NIS has gotten on track since its director’s inauguration two years ago.

Ko, who once led ``Minbyon,’’ an association of relatively progressive lawyers, was picked up by Roh, also a former human rights lawyer who wanted to overhaul the intelligence agency that was largely a ``political maid’’ of previous authoritarian governments.

He was deemed so progressive that the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP), representing the nation’s conservative forces, threatened to disapprove the appointment at the National Assembly in early 2003.

Although he repeatedly expressed his intention to quit last year, the NIS chief was each time requested to stay until the fact-finding committee began its full-fledged inquiry into several suspicious cases under the previous governments, according to his aides.

In a rare move, Roh reconfirmed his confidence in Ko last September, saying he has ``never thought of replacing’’ the NIS director.

Ko will likely continue in office until his successor has passed a parliamentary confirmation hearing. Currently, National Security Adviser Kwon Chin-ho is among the most likely candidates to fill the post, according to sources at Chong Wa Dae.

Kwon has been favored as NIS director ever since last year when news of Ko’s possible resignation was reported by local news media. Roh, according to Chong Wa Dae officials, believes Kwon is able to successfully take up the unfinished work of reforming the spy agency.

Some ruling party lawmakers and government officials called for Ko’s replacement in April last year immediately after the National Assembly elections, apparently displeased with the NIS’ provision of no sufficient information to help the ruling party ahead of the elections.

As part of efforts to erase the image of the NIS notorious for political maneuvering during previous authoritarian governments, Ko pledged not to interfere with domestic politics since taking office. He said the agency will focus instead on collecting information on security from abroad and tracking down industrial spies, as well as collecting intelligence on North Korea.

jinryu@koreatimes.co.kr