U.S. barred NIS from North Korea cyber meeting amid Coupang tensions, sources say

The United States took the unusual step of barring South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) from a trilateral meeting on North Korean cyber threats in June, notifying it of the decision in writing, according to multiple sources.

Washington rarely excludes an allied intelligence agency from such meetings, much less communicates the decision in writing. The move has fueled speculation that it reflected U.S. dissatisfaction over allegations that the NIS was involved in the South Korean government's alleged crackdown on U.S.-listed e-commerce giant Coupang.

Ahead of the fifth trilateral working group meeting on North Korean cyber threats, the United States informed South Korea that the NIS would not be allowed to attend the meeting held in Washington on June 25 and 26, according to multiple well-informed sources on Thursday. The notification was delivered both verbally and in writing.

The meeting brought together about 60 officials from the foreign ministries and other relevant agencies of South Korea, the United States and Japan, including those responsible for North Korean nuclear issues and cybersecurity.

The decision to single out the NIS, which plays a central role in countering North Korean cyber threats such as hacking, has sparked speculation that the exclusion went beyond a routine adjustment to the meeting's attendance list.

The United States did not provide a specific reason for excluding the NIS, according to the sources. However, the timing was notable, as the decision came shortly before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee released an interim report on Coupang on July 1.

At the time, allegations that the NIS had played a role in the alleged crackdown on Coupang had gained traction among members of Congress and figures within and around the Trump administration. In fact, the House Judiciary Committee's report explicitly stated that the NIS had pressured officials to investigate Coupang and seize devices.

The NIS rejected the allegations, saying, "Coupang's claim that the series of actions was carried out under the direction or orders of the NIS is clearly false."

Some observers believe the U.S. decision to exclude the NIS may have reflected the strained atmosphere between the two countries over the issue.

However, the NIS maintained that its exclusion from the meeting was a one-time measure, and that intelligence cooperation between South Korea and the United States is proceeding smoothly.

"Misunderstandings sometimes arise between countries because of differences in national interests," an NIS official said. "What matters is how those misunderstandings are resolved in a timely manner. There are currently no misunderstandings between the South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities."

Some within the South Korean government have also raised concerns that a series of disputes between the two countries' intelligence agencies may stem from suspicions shared by figures within and around the White House that the Lee Jae Myung administration is inclined toward China.

Since March, the United States has restricted its sharing of imagery intelligence on North Korea with South Korea after taking issue with remarks by Unification Minister Chung Dong-young concerning North Korea's nuclear facilities in Kusong.

Chung's office explained that the information had already been made “public through media reports,” but the United States did not accept the explanation.

Separately, the NIS strongly denied media reports Thursday that a planned visit to the United States by NIS Director Lee Jong-seok and a meeting with a visiting high-level delegation from the Central Intelligence Agency had fallen through, calling the reports "false."

BY LEE YU-JUNG [[email protected]]