Won Sei-Hoon, who resigned in March last year after four years at the head of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), was convicted of accepting USD 150,000 in bribes from the former head of a construction company while in office.
"Heavy punishment is inevitable because the nature of the crime is severe," Seoul Central District Court judge Lee Bum-Kyun said in pronouncing sentence today.
In a separate case, the 63-year-old spy chief faces charges of meddling in the 2012 presidential election by allegedly organising an online smear campaign against the opposition party candidate.