Additional Coverage:
On July 17, federal prosecutors revealed that Sue Mi Terry, a former CIA official renowned for her expertise on North Korea, had been covertly acting as an informant for the intelligence agency of South Korea for over ten years. According to an indictment unsealed in the Southern District of New York, Terry is accused of not registering as a foreign agent and conspiring against the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
The 31-page indictment outlines that Terry, in her public roles, advocated for policies favorable to the South Korean government and shared confidential U.S. information and contacts with South Korean intelligence officers. In return, she purportedly received items like luxury handbags and expensive dinners, along with over $37,000.
The document emphasizes that despite Terry’s significant involvement with South Korean government officials, she failed to officially register as a foreign agent. Born in Seoul and raised in both Hawaii and Virginia, Terry served as a senior CIA analyst on Korean issues from 2001 to 2008, eventually occupying senior positions at both the National Security Council and the National Intelligence Council. Following her government service, she joined the academic and think tank sectors.
Upon learning of the accusations, the Council for Foreign Relations (CFR), where Terry is a senior fellow, has placed her on unpaid administrative leave and expressed their intention to fully cooperate with any ongoing investigations. Terry’s attorney has contested the charges, asserting her client’s critical stance towards the South Korean government during the period in question.
Notably, beginning in 2013, Terry allegedly started collaborating with South Korean National Intelligence Service agents who disguised themselves as diplomats. Her activities reportedly included writing opinion pieces supportive of Seoul’s viewpoints, facilitating introductions between South Korean agents and U.S. policymakers, and divulging non-public information. These actions, prosecutors claim, were designed to advance South Korean interests within the U.S. political landscape.
In addition, federal prosecutors disclosed that in 2022, following a confidential meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Terry’s meeting notes were photographed by a key South Korean contact. She also purportedly orchestrated a social event in Washington, D.C., intended to help South Korean officials build relationships with U.S. congressional staff, a gathering secretly funded by South Korea’s intelligence agency.
Terry has also faced allegations over luxury gifts she received from South Korean agents, which included high-end apparel and accessories valued at thousands of dollars. In a recent development, during a voluntary interview with the FBI in 2023, Terry admitted her role as a “source” for South Korean intelligence, acknowledging her forced resignation from the CIA due to questionable contacts.
This case is part of a broader Justice Department initiative utilizing the Foreign Agents Registration Act to combat foreign influence within the United States, an effort that recently involved a high-profile conviction of New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez on multiple charges, including acting as an illegal foreign agent for Egypt.