Former South Korean spy chief sentenced to 3 years in prison over 2012 election scandal
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former National Intelligence Service director Won Sei-hoon, center, arrives at the Seoul High Court in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Feb. 9, 2015. Won headed to prison after being found guilty of ordering an illicit online campaign to support then-ruling party candidate and current President Park Geun-hye ahead of the 2012 presidential election. (AP Photo/Yonhap) KOREA OUT (The Associated Press)
A former South Korean spy chief is heading to prison after being found guilty of ordering an illicit online campaign to support then-ruling party candidate and current President Park Geun-hye ahead of the 2012 presidential election.
The Seoul High Court sentenced Won Sei-hoon to three years in prison Monday for violating an election law and another law banning the National Intelligence Service from engaging in local politics.
A district court last year handed Won a suspended prison term when it convicted him of violating only the law banning spies from politicking.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Park beat opposition candidate Moon Jae-in by a million votes and took office in early 2013 for a single five-year term.
It's not clear if or how the online campaigning affected the election.