SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Park Won-soon, mayor of Seoul, South Korea's capital, on Tuesday sued former President Lee Myung-bak for alleged illicit politicking led by the country's spy agency under Lee's presidency.
An official with the Seoul city government said by phone that Mayor Park filed a complaint with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office against former President Lee for the violation of National Intelligence Service (NIS) law and abuse of power.
Earlier in the day, the Seoul mayor attended a meeting of the ruling Democratic Party, saying he would file a lawsuit against Lee as the former president abused his power and damaged the root of democracy.
The mayor and the city government also accused former NIS chief Won Sei-hoon and other former NIS officials for illicit political interference, defamation and violation of the NIS law, which requires agents to remain politically neutral.
The Seoul mayor's accusation was relevant to the ongoing probe by the prosecution office into a so-called blacklist of the NIS under Lee's presidency, which was allegedly aimed to remove entertainers and artists criticizing the Lee administration from the mainstream media.
The prosecution summoned alleged victims to the blacklist on Monday and Tuesday for questioning.
