[Anchor]

A series of "warning signs" have recently been detected in South Korea-U.S. relations, including the delay in issuing a visa for lawmaker Jung Chung-rae. Disruptions have actually surfaced not only in economic issues but also in cooperation between the two nations' intelligence agencies.

Reporter Kim Hye-young looks into the background of this development.

[Reporter]

Democratic Party lawmaker Jung Chung-rae visited the United States without any issues in 2012 and 2014.

However, in 2013, just like this year, he had to give up his parliamentary audit trip to the U.S. due to a delay in visa issuance.

Given that he is the immediate past leader of the ruling party, lawmaker Jung's visa issue has drawn particular scrutiny.

While this could be a general situation stemming from the second Trump administration's tightened visa vetting process regarding social media and other online activities, it is true that "unusual currents" are being detected across multiple areas between South Korea and the United States.

In June, the National Intelligence Service's attendance at a South Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral cybersecurity meeting was thwarted at Washington's request, and the U.S. is reportedly still restricting the sharing of certain intelligence on North Korea following Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's remarks concerning a North Korean uranium enrichment facility.

[Jin Young-seung / Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Yesterday): "Although some information is restricted, I ultimately believe it is best for this situation to be resolved quickly, and we are working toward that."]

Experts analyze that as a tug-of-war over U.S. investment negotiations and controversies surrounding regulations on American companies like Coupang have accumulated, negative views toward the South Korean government have grown in parts of Washington's political circles.

Amid lingering doubts about the Lee Jae-myung administration's China policy, some interpret this as the United States applying strategic pressure.

[Min Jeong-hun / Professor, Korea National Diplomatic Academy: "Because Korea's strategic value has grown, I wonder if these things are happening as part of an effort to pressure Korea into moving in a direction more favorable to the U.S. government..."]

A senior government official told SBS, "It is true that intelligence cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. was not smooth due to misunderstandings, but recently we have reached a phase where those misunderstandings are being cleared up."

However, with unresolved issues remaining, including restrictions on sharing intelligence on North Korea, observers point out that more proactive communication is needed to restore mutual trust between the two countries.

(Video by Won Hyeong-hui | Design by Kim Ye-ji)