President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea and President Joe Biden of the United States exchanged glances during a joint press conference held at the presidential office of Yongsan in Seoul, South Korea on May 21, 2022. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, April 9 (Korea Bizwire) — The U.S.-South Korea relationship has been shaken by allegations of U.S. intelligence agencies spying on the South Korean government, just weeks before President Yoon Suk-yeol’s scheduled state visit to the U.S.
The New York Times (NYT) and other media outlets reported on Sunday that U.S. intelligence agencies have been conducting surveillance on the South Korean government with regard to its support for the war in Ukraine.
The South Korean presidential office remained calm in its response, stating that it would seek to confirm the allegations through “necessary consultations” with the U.S. side. Nevertheless, if the allegations are confirmed, it is expected that public opinion in South Korea will turn against the U.S., putting pressure on the upcoming U.S.-South Korea summit.
The news of the alleged spying came to light early Sunday morning, and President Yoon was reportedly briefed by his chief of staff that same morning. The presidential office held a meeting, chaired by the new national security chief, Cho Tae-yong, to review the reports and discuss how to respond.
Mr. Cho had previously served as South Korea’s ambassador to the United States and was recently tapped to replace Kim Sung-han, who resigned on March 29.
The South Korean government is proceeding cautiously in light of the embarrassing allegations. Officials do not want to make a big deal out of the issue, especially with the upcoming summit to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the alliance.
The South Korean Foreign Ministry believes that the trust between the two countries is strong, but it is necessary to communicate with the U.S. government to clarify the exact facts of the allegations.
“We are well aware of the (NYT) report and will hold necessary discussions with the U.S. side on the issues raised,” said a presidential office official at a press briefing on Sunday afternoon after being asked about the allegations.
At the same briefing, the official also confirmed that the presidential office had not yet lodged a protest with the U.S. or sought an explanation, but would review past precedents and examples from other countries before deciding how to respond.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
