S. Korean Spy Chief under Fire over Kim's Death

South Korea's spy chief has come under fire for questioning North Korea's account of leader Kim Jong-Il's death, as well as failing to learn about his demise before it was officially announced.

The North said Monday that the 69-year-old Kim had died of a heart attack two days previously while on a train during one of his "field guidance" tours, portraying him as a martyr to duty despite the bitter cold.

But National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief Won Sei-Hoon questioned that version of events, telling a closed parliamentary session Tuesday that Kim's train was spotted stationary at a Pyongyang station at the time of his death.

He said the train had not moved on Friday or Saturday.

Legislators, according to media reports, also asked Won about a rumor that Kim actually died at his residence on Friday night. Won said he had heard the rumor but the NIS could not verify it.

Opposition legislators and some ruling party MPs called for a shake-up of security and foreign posts, after Pyongyang's bombshell announcement Monday took Seoul by surprise.

President Lee Myung-Bak on Thursday defended his intelligence chief and rejected opposition calls for him to be sacked.

"It's true that we learned about the death of Kim Jong-Il after North Korea's announcement but other countries were in the same position," Lee said during talks with political leaders, according to his office.

When an opposition leader called for the sacking, Lee replied: "Leave it to my government".

The Korea JoongAng Daily said pressure was growing on Lee to sack his spy chief.

Legislator Kwon Young-Se, head of the intelligence committee and a member of the ruling party, told a radio program it was wrong for Won to provoke Pyongyang by publicly challenging its account of Kim's death.

"The North's leadership is extremely vulnerable right now and inter-Korean relations are very delicate at this point," Kwon said.

Opposition legislator Choi Jae-Sung told reporters the NIS was attempting to "play with" intelligence.

"I have asked the NIS to submit evidence on Won's remarks that Kim's train was parked in Pyongyang, but it has failed to give me an answer," Choi said.

In May the intelligence services came under fire for failing to obtain accurate information about Kim Jong-Il's trip to China. Officials said Kim's son was making the trip while in fact it was his father.