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Senior U.S. official says Seoul should 'safeguard' intel, suggesting irritation at unification minister's remarks

Published: 23 Apr. 2026, 17:21 Updated: 23 Apr. 2026, 21:02

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, during a meeting with the head of the Korean Conference of Religion for Peace on April 23 [NEWS1]

The United States told South Korea to "safeguard" all information sent through "private channels," seemingly targeting Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's recent mention of an allegedly publicly unknown uranium enrichment site in North Korea.

A high-ranking official in the Trump administration said on Wednesday that the U.S. government expects its partner countries to "safeguard" all sensitive information shared by the United States when asked by the Financial Times to comment on Chung's recent remarks.

As the United States had refrained from commenting on the matter as recently as Tuesday, the sudden change in language may indicate Washington's discomfort.

The unification minister identified Kusong, along with Yongbyon and Kangson, as a region housing uranium enrichment facilities for the country's nuclear weapons program during a parliamentary session last month.

Seoul and Washington have so far officially recognized Yongbyon and Kangson as the only uranium enrichment sites.

Opposition lawmakers have criticized Chung's remarks for disclosing classified information shared by Washington, while Chung pushed back, saying the remarks were based on publicly available information and intended to highlight the urgency of addressing the North's nuclear issue.

The minister, however, rejected allegations that his reference to North Korea's Kusong as one of its uranium enrichment sites constituted a leak of classified information, dismissing the criticism as a "political trick" hampering the national interest on Thursday.

Chung again addressed the criticism as "an overblown political trick" that will only "hamper the national interest" and "create an internal feud," adding that he suspects some individuals may have stirred up the issue with "a hidden motive."

"Turning this into a controversy might be amusing, but it only compromises the national interest," he noted.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks to reporters as he arrives at the Government Complex in Jongno District, central Seoul, on April 20. [YONHAP]

The minister again said his reference to Kusong as a nuclear site was based on information long available in expert reports and news articles and did not amount to a leak of intelligence.

"The essence of the remarks was that North Korea's nuclear issue is very serious [...] and that a shift to dialogue and negotiations is vital at a time when sanctions, pressure and isolation have not worked," he noted.

Addressing concerns that the controversy could harm South Korea-U.S. relations, Chung said he does not think it will pose any further problems.

BY KANG TAE-HWA, SHIM SEOK-YONG, YONHAP [[email protected]]