KOR
▲ Sue Terry, former senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
US federal prosecutors have claimed that the funds received by Sue Terry, the former senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) who was indicted about two years ago on charges of working for the South Korean government without registering with the US government, came from the "highest levels of the National Intelligence Service (NIS."
According to the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on the 11th (local time), prosecutors reportedly made this claim in a court filing submitted on September 28 to counter a motion to suppress evidence filed by Terry's side.
Terry, a Korean-American North Korea expert and former CIA analyst, was indicted in July 2024 on charges of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
In the response brief, prosecutors stated, "Listening to the recording from the café (where the money and valuables were received) and the defendant's statements, the defendant was aware that the NIS's financial support directly contributed to her salary, and she knew that the funds came from the highest levels of the NIS."
They added, "While aware of these facts, she attempted to conceal the source of the NIS funds from the Woodrow Wilson Center (where she was then employed)," stating, "This is strong evidence directly tied to the requirement of intent for a FARA violation."
The response brief is expected to spark controversy as prosecutors publicly disclosed the real names of three NIS handlers who contacted Terry while explaining key evidence and the circumstances of the case.
In response, the NIS stated that because "the incident occurred during a past administration and US judicial authorities have continued legal proceedings up to the present," they understand that "there is no room for the current NIS to intervene."
The NIS also maintained its stance that "as legal proceedings are underway in the US, it is difficult to disclose details."
Previously, when indicting Terry in 2024, US prosecutors detailed allegations that she received luxury meals, expensive clothing, handbags, and large research funds from the NIS and others over the span of about 10 years, and even released a photograph capturing the appearance of an agent in the indictment.
However, Terry's side has countered that her contacts with South Korean government officials were routine professional relationships as an expert on North Korea and Korean Peninsula policy, and that it is problematic for prosecutors to present these as evidence of FARA violations and other charges.
Following fierce battles over evidence and coordination of key issues, a jury trial for this case is scheduled to begin on October 27, about two years after the indictment.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
