Ex-CIA Analyst Indicted for Espionage on Behalf of South Korea

A New York grand jury has indicted Sue Mi Terry, a former US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) analyst, on charges of espionage for the South Korean government in return for luxury goods, designer bags, and upscale dining experiences. Terry, who also served as a senior official for the White House National Security Council, faces two counts of failing to register as a foreign agent and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Federal officials allege that Terry, a prominent expert on North Korea, acted as an agent for the South Korean government for over a decade without registering as a foreign agent, according to court documents released on Tuesday in the Southern District of New York. The Council on Foreign Relations, where Terry works as a senior fellow on Asia, has placed her on unpaid leave and removed her biography from its website, as confirmed by a spokesperson.

Terry, 54, denies the charges, and her attorney, Lee Wolosky, described the allegations as “unfounded,” stating that they distort the work of a scholar and news analyst known for her independence and years of service to the United States. Wolosky emphasized that Terry was a harsh critic of the South Korean government during the times the indictment claims she was acting on its behalf.

Born in South Korea, Terry moved to the US at age 12. She earned her doctorate from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in 2001 and is known for lecturing in both English and Korean. Terry worked as a senior analyst for the CIA from 2001 to 2008 and held various federal government posts, including Director for Korea, Japan, and Oceanic Affairs at the National Security Council during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations.

Prosecutors claim Terry’s espionage activities for the South Korean government began in 2013, about five years after she left the CIA and the National Security Council. The 31-page indictment details that Terry admitted to FBI agents in a voluntary interview in 2023 that she was a “source” for South Korea’s National Intelligence Service. The indictment also alleges that Terry received a $2,845 Dolce & Gabbana coat, a $3,450 Louis Vuitton handbag, and expensive meals, as well as $37,000 from the South Korean government, with a plan to conceal the source of the funds by placing them in a gift fund at her think tank.

Terry’s indictment follows the recent conviction of Democratic Senator Robert Menendez, who was found guilty of assisting foreign governments in exchange for luxury items, including gold bars and a Mercedes car.

Via BBC News