[단독] "국정원, 계엄 이후 국회에 '대공수사권 복원' 요청"

[코리아헤럴드=김아린 기자] 국가정보원이 비상계엄 이후 국회를 찾아 경찰로 이관된 대공수사권을 국정원에 복원해줄 것을 요청한 것으로 알려졌다.
A 더불어민주당 의원은 25일 코리아헤럴드를 만나 국정원 고위 관계자가 지난해 12월 20일 자신을 찾아와 대공수사권을 되돌려달라고 요구했다고 밝혔다.
A 의원은 국정원 고위 관계자의 요청에 "국정원의 대공수사권을 없앤 덕분에 비상계엄 때 국정원이 적극 참여하지는 못한 것"이라며 선을 그었다고 전했다.
A 의원에 따르면, 국정원은 대공수사권을 부활해달라는 요청을 여러차례 전달했다.
A 의원은 "(국정원 관계자)가 볼 때마다 대공수사권을 돌려달라고 얘기하는데, 이미 국정원법상 업무의 범위가 상당히 포괄적으로 보장되어 있는데도 계속해서 요구하고 있다"고 했다. 그는 "국정원법 4조 3호는 국정원이 북한·외국과 연계된 내국인의 활동을 확인하고 대응조치를 취할 수 있도록 하는데, 이는 매우 모호하고 넓은 업무 범위"라고 덧붙였다.
A 의원은 "정보경찰의 규모는 국정원의 대공 수사인력보다 훨씬 많은 숫자"라며 "경찰 이관으로 오히려 우리의 대공수사 역량은 확대된 것"이라고 주장했다. 그러면서 "체포 전 단계까지는 국정원의 권한이 이미 방대한데 국정원은 경찰과 협력하기보단 지휘·통제하고 싶은 것"이라고 꼬집었다.
A 의원은 윤석열 전 대통령이 국정원의 대공수사권 회복에 대한 염원을 미끼로 삼아 홍장원 전 1차장 포섭을 시도한 것이라고 봤다. 윤 대통령 공소장을 보면, 윤 대통령은 비상계엄 선포 당일인 지난해 12월 3일 홍 전 차장에게 전화해 "국정원에도 대공수사권 줄 테니까 우선 방첩사를 도와 지원해"라고 지시했다.
A 의원은 "홍 전 차장으로선 원장이나 대공 업무를 담당하는 2차장이 아닌 자신에게 대공수사권을 준다는 대통령의 지시가 회유로 느껴졌을 수 있다"면서 "그 지시를 홍 전 차장이 이행하지 않은 것은 참 다행스러운 일"이라고 했다.
간첩 등 국가보안법 위반 범죄를 수사하는 권한인 대공수사권은 지난해 1월 국정원에서 경찰로 완전히 넘어갔다. 대공수사권 이관은 문재인 정부 때 국정원 개혁의 일환으로 추진됐다.
(arin@heraldcorp.com)
[Exclusive] NIS tried to lobby to regain investigative powers after Yoon's martial law
The National Intelligence Service asked the Democratic Party of Korea to restore its authority to investigate crimes of North Korean and foreign espionage, which was transferred to the police early last year, after former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched imposition of martial law.
According to a Democratic Party lawmaker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, a high-level NIS official visited him on Dec. 20, 2024, less than three weeks after Yoon's martial law declaration, and asked for the intelligence agency's investigative authority to be restored.
The lawmaker said that NIS officials have asked for revisions in the law to bring back the agency's investigative authority several times since.
In January last year, the authority to investigate crimes related to espionage was transferred to the police from the NIS as a part of efforts by the previous Moon Jae-in administration to reform the intelligence agency.
According to the lawmaker, the NIS is already guaranteed "a fairly vast scope" of activities for looking into espionage. "The NIS can undertake a preliminary investigation. The police only handle arrest and referral to the prosecution for indictment," the lawmaker said.
The lawmaker said Yoon appeared to have exploited the NIS' desire to regain its investigative functions when he allegedly offered Hong Jang-won, former deputy director of the NIS, the power to investigate on the night of martial law.
According to prosecutors, Yoon called Hong shortly after announcing he was imposing martial law on TV and told the then-deputy director that he would give the intelligence agency the investigative powers to follow through with his orders.
"I think it was very fortunate for the country that Hong refused to take the bait and chose not to follow Yoon's orders," the lawmaker said.

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