S. Korean envoy says progress made in intelligence cooperation with US amid friction concerns

Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha said Monday that South Korea and the United States have made progress in improving intelligence cooperation amid concerns over friction between the allies. She said the countries’ intelligence agencies have communicated and that no complaints were raised against Unification Minister Chung Dong-young or National Intelligence Service Director Lee Jong-seok. Kang acknowledged limitations in communication with the White House and said there has been no concrete progress toward another North Korea-US summit.

The National Intelligence Service was excluded from a June trilateral meeting with the United States and Japan on North Korean cyber threats, reportedly at Washington’s request.

Kang said Chung Dong-young called her after publicly disclosing a North Korean uranium enrichment facility in Kusong in March, and she conveyed his explanation to US officials through diplomatic channels.

Kang said various consultations had addressed problems in intelligence cooperation but that no complaints had been raised against any individual.

Kang said a possible North Korea-US summit has become a subject of daily intelligence-sharing consultations between Seoul and Washington.

Published Oct 13, 2026 5:29 am KST

Updated Oct 13, 2026 5:52 am KST

Kang Kyung-wha, center, South Korean ambassador to the US, speaks during a parliamentary audit held at the Seoul embassy, Washington, Oct. 12. Yonhap

South Korea's top envoy to the United States said Monday that progress has been made in improving intelligence cooperation between Seoul and Washington, amid concerns over apparent friction between the two allies.

Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha made the remarks during a parliamentary audit at the South Korean Embassy in Washington, responding to questions about bilateral intelligence cooperation.

Regarding the controversy, the ambassador said she is aware that "intelligence agencies of the two countries have communicated with each other" and that "progress has been made" in terms of improving cooperation.

The remarks follow growing speculation over bilateral friction after South Korea's National Intelligence Service acknowledged it was excluded from a June trilateral meeting, also involving Japan, on North Korean cyber threats. Local media reports indicated the agency was left out at Washington's request.

South Korea and the U.S. have experienced friction in the intelligence field after Seoul Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's public disclosure of a North Korean uranium enrichment facility in Kusong, North Korea, in March.

Kang also said she is unaware of any complaints raised by the U.S. side against the unification minister or South Korea's National Intelligence Service Director Lee Jong-seok.

"There have been various consultations regarding problems in connection with intelligence cooperation, but there have not been any complaints raised against any individual," Kang said.

Kang said she had received a phone call from Chung following his remarks about North Korea's nuclear facility in Kusong and had conveyed his explanation to U.S. officials through diplomatic channels.

She did not elaborate on how U.S. officials responded to Chung's explanation.

The ambassador also acknowledged limitations in high-level communication with the White House.

"I acknowledge that there are limitations in our communication with the White House," Kang said.

Regarding the possibility of another North Korea-U.S. summit, the ambassador said she is aware that there has not been any concrete progress. "There is always the possibility, but it is hard to speak (of) in terms of numbers (likelihood)."

According to Kang, the subject of a possible North Korea-U.S. summit has become a topic of daily consultation between Seoul and Washington in terms of intelligence sharing.

韩国驻美大使康京和周一表示，尽管韩美两国盟友间存在摩擦，但双方在改善情报合作方面取得了进展。她表示，两国情报机构已进行沟通，且未对统一部长官郑东荣或国家情报院院长李钟硕提出任何投诉。康京和承认与白宫的沟通存在局限性，并表示朝美再次峰会方面尚未取得实质性进展。

据报道，日本国家情报院被排除在6月份与美国和日本举行的关于朝鲜网络威胁的三方会议之外，这是应华盛顿的要求。

康女士表示，郑东英在3月份公​​开披露朝鲜龟城铀浓缩设施后给她打了电话，她通过外交渠道将郑东英的解释转达给了美国官员。

康表示，各种磋商已经解决了情报合作中存在的问题，但没有对任何个人提出投诉。

康表示，朝美峰会的可能性已成为首尔和华盛顿之间每日情报共享磋商的主题。

发布于2026年10月13日 上午5:29（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月13日 上午5:52（韩国标准时间）

10月12日，韩国驻美国大使康京和（中）在位于华盛顿的韩国大使馆出席国会听证会并发表讲话。（韩联社）

韩国驻美国最高代表周一表示，尽管外界担忧韩美两国盟友之间出现明显的摩擦，但首尔和华盛顿在改善情报合作方面已取得进展。

韩国驻美国大使康京和在华盛顿韩国大使馆接受国会审计时发表了上述言论，回答了有关双边情报合作的问题。

关于这场争议，大使表示，她知道“两国情报机构已经相互沟通”，并且在改善合作方面“已经取得了进展”。

此前，韩国国家情报院承认其被排除在6月份与日本共同举行的关于朝鲜网络威胁的三方会议之外，引发了外界对韩美双边摩擦的猜测。当地媒体报道称，韩国国家情报院是应华盛顿的要求被排除在外的。

今年3月，韩国统一部长官郑东荣公开披露朝鲜龟城拥有铀浓缩设施，此后韩国和美国在情报领域产生了摩擦。

康还表示，她并不知晓美方对统一部长官或韩国国家情报院院长李钟硕提出任何投诉。

康表示：“我们曾就情报合作中出现的问题进行过多次磋商，但没有对任何个人提出投诉。”

康女士表示，在郑某就朝鲜龟城核设施发表言论后，她接到了郑某的电话，并通过外交渠道将他的解释转达给了美国官员。

她没有详细说明美国官员对钟的解释作何反应。

大使也承认与白宫高层沟通存在局限性。

康表示：“我承认我们与白宫的沟通存在局限性。”

关于再次举行朝美峰会的可能性，大使表示，她知道目前还没有任何实质性进展。“可能性始终存在，但很难用数字（可能性）来衡量。”

据康表示，朝美峰会的可能性已成为首尔和华盛顿在情报共享方面进行日常磋商的话题。