▲ Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the National Intelligence Service (NIS) have denied media reports that U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick conveyed the U.S. side's distrust of the NIS to Minister Kim Jung-kwan during negotiations on strategic investments in the United States.
In a press explanation release on October 9, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy stated, "We make it clear that it is not true that Secretary Lutnick conveyed distrust regarding the NIS to Minister Kim during the process of negotiations on strategic investments in the U.S."
Earlier, a domestic media outlet reported, citing multiple high-ranking government sources, that Secretary Lutnick conveyed the Donald Trump administration's concerns regarding the NIS to Minister Kim during recent negotiations on a $200 billion strategic investment in the United States.
The NIS also denied the report to the media on October 9, stating, "We clearly state that we have not received any information regarding remarks by Secretary Lutnick from other ministries or agencies."
The NIS added, "As previously announced, intelligence cooperation between South Korea and the United States is currently actively underway in various fields, including North Korea, cyber threats, technology leaks, and transnational crime."
The NIS also denied reports that an argument occurred between NIS Director Lee Jong-suk and Foreign Minister Cho Hyun at a National Security Council (NSC) standing committee meeting in August, stating, "We also clearly confirm that no such incident occurred."
Speculation over friction in the intelligence sector between South Korea and the United States was previously raised after it belatedly became known that the NIS was excluded at the request of the United States from a South Korea-U.S.-Japan working group meeting on countering North Korean cyber threats held in the United States in June.
The restriction on North Korea-related intelligence sharing by the United States, triggered in March this year by Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's remarks on "North Korea's Kusong uranium enrichment facility," has been continuing for more than half a year.
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.