Spy agency snub raises US alliance concerns in S. Korea

The National Intelligence Service was excluded from a June trilateral meeting with Washington and Tokyo in Washington on North Korean cyber threats, heightening concerns about friction in the South Korea-U.S. alliance. The NIS downplayed the incident, while a ruling bloc official said various issues had affected bilateral ties. The dispute follows U.S. restrictions on some intelligence sharing after Unification Minister Chung Dong-young disclosed a North Korean uranium enrichment facility in Kusong in March.

The industry ministry dismissed a report alleging that U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had expressed distrust of the NIS during negotiations on strategic investment projects.

A ruling bloc official said there were no apparent plans to send National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac to Washington, although various options should be explored.

The Democratic Party said former party leader Rep. Jung Chung-rae’s U.S. visa application remained under review without a final decision.

The People Power Party urged the government to examine whether communication and trust problems existed between South Korea and the United States across diplomatic, intelligence and security sectors.

Published Oct 9, 2026 4:13 pm KST

Aerial view of Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul / Yonhap

A recent snub of Seoul's spy agency during a trilateral meeting with Washington and Tokyo has heightened concerns over possible friction in the South Korea-U.S. alliance, sources said Friday.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) on Thursday acknowledged that it had been excluded from the June meeting on North Korean cyber threats, after a news report said the agency had been left out at Washington's request.

While the NIS downplayed the incident, the exclusion has fueled concerns over bilateral ties, with continued reports of friction between the two partners.

Earlier in the day, the industry ministry dismissed a local news report alleging U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had voiced distrust of the NIS during bilateral negotiations on strategic investment projects.

In light of the reports, a senior ruling bloc insider acknowledged that "various issues" between the two sides have had an impact on overall bilateral ties.

"It is not good for bilateral relations to be shaky like this," the official told Yonhap News Agency by phone. "It is never desirable for problems to arise in the intelligence sector."

The allies have faced signs of friction in the intelligence sector after Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's disclosure of a North Korean uranium enrichment facility in Kusong in March.

While Chung has said he only shared what was already in the public domain, the move prompted Washington to restrict Seoul's access to some intelligence related to North Korea in apparent protest over the disclosure.

Some have called on the presidential office to dispatch National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac to Washington for talks to defuse the apparent friction.

An official from the ruling bloc, however, said there appear to be no such plans for Wi, while noting that the situation calls for exploring various options.

Related to the apparent strain, the ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Friday voiced regret over delayed issuance of a U.S. visa for former party leader Rep. Jung Chung-rae.

DP senior spokesperson Park Sung-joon said Jung's visa application status remains under review without a final decision. Chung had planned to visit the United States for a parliamentary audit of Seoul's diplomatic missions.

"(We) hope the diplomatic authorities of South Korea and the United States swiftly and actively resolve the issue," Park said in a written briefing.

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) raised suspicions of friction in the alliance may have influenced the apparent delayed proceedings.

"If such warning signs across the diplomatic, intelligence and security sectors continue, the government must thoroughly inspect whether there are problems in communication and trust between South Korea and the U.S.," Choi Eun-seok, the PPP's senior floor spokesperson, said.

韩国国家情报院被排除在6月于华盛顿举行的韩美三方会谈之外，此次会谈旨在讨论朝鲜网络威胁问题，加剧了人们对韩美同盟关系摩擦的担忧。韩国国家情报院淡化了这一事件，而执政联盟的一位官员则表示，诸多问题影响了双边关系。此前，韩国统一部长官郑东映于3月披露了朝鲜在龟城的一处铀浓缩设施，此后美国限制了部分情报共享，引发了此次争端。

工业部驳斥了一份报告，该报告称美国商务部长霍华德·卢特尼克在战略投资项目谈判期间对北约表示不信任。

一位执政联盟官员表示，目前没有明显的计划派遣国家安全顾问魏松乐前往华盛顿，但应该探讨各种方案。

民主党表示，前党魁郑忠来议员的美国签证申请仍在审查中，尚未做出最终决定。

国民力量党敦促政府调查韩国与美国在外交、情报和安全领域是否存在沟通和信任问题。

发布于2026年10月9日下午4:13（韩国标准时间）

首尔青瓦台鸟瞰图 / 韩联社

消息人士周五表示，首尔情报机构最近在与华盛顿和东京举行的三方会议上遭到冷落，加剧了人们对韩美同盟可能出现摩擦的担忧。

韩国国家情报院（NIS）周四承认，该机构被排除在6月份关于朝鲜网络威胁的会议之外。此前有新闻报道称，该机构是应华盛顿的要求被排除在外的。

尽管尼日利亚移民局淡化了这一事件，但此次驱逐事件加剧了人们对双边关系的担忧，不断有报道称两国之间存在摩擦。

当天早些时候，工业部驳斥了当地新闻报道，该报道声称美国商务部长霍华德·卢特尼克在双边战略投资项目谈判中对北约表示不信任。

鉴于这些报道，一位执政联盟内部高级人士承认，双方之间的“各种问题”已经对双边关系的整体发展产生了影响。

这位官员通过电话告诉韩联社：“双边关系如此不稳定对双方都不利。情报领域出现问题绝非好事。”

今年3月，统一部长官郑东荣披露了朝鲜在龟城拥有铀浓缩设施，此后，美韩盟友在情报领域出现了摩擦迹象。

尽管郑义宣表示他只是分享了已经公开的信息，但此举促使华盛顿限制首尔获取一些与朝鲜有关的情报，显然是为了抗议此次泄密事件。

有人呼吁总统府派遣国家安全顾问魏松乐前往华盛顿进行会谈，以缓和明显的摩擦。

然而，执政联盟的一位官员表示，目前似乎没有针对魏的此类计划，但他同时指出，这种情况需要探索各种选择。

与此明显紧张局势有关，执政的共同民主党（DP）周五对前党魁郑忠来议员的美国签证迟迟未能发放表示遗憾。

民主党高级发言人朴成俊表示，郑秀妍的签证申请状态仍在审核中，尚未有最终决定。郑秀妍原计划访问美国，配合国会对首尔驻美外交机构的审计。

朴槿惠在一份书面简报中表示：“我们希望韩国和美国的外交当局迅速积极地解决这个问题。”

主要反对党人民力量党（PPP）怀疑联盟内部的摩擦可能影响了明显延迟的进程。

“如果外交、情报和安全领域持续出现此类警告信号，政府必须彻底调查韩国和美国之间是否存在沟通和信任问题，”人民进步党高级发言人崔银锡表示。