US: She Left the CIA, Acted as an Agent for South Korea

The US alleges a former CIA analyst worked as an agent for South Korea in exchange for luxury goods and experiences—Bottega Veneta and Louis Vuitton handbags, a Dolce & Gabbana coat, and dinners at Michelin-starred restaurants. Reuters reports on an indictment made public Tuesday in Manhattan federal court that alleges Sue Mi Terry, 54, pushed South Korean policy positions, shared non-public US government information with South Korean intelligence officers, and arranged access for South Korean government officials to US officials and failed to register as a foreign agent as required by law. More:

• The timeline: Terry was a senior CIA analyst from 2001 to 2008 and headed up Korean, Japan, and Oceanic Affairs at the National Security Council from 2008 to 2009. She was no longer a US government employee when she allegedly began working as a South Korean agent in 2013 after meeting an intelligence officer who was posing as a diplomat for South Korea at the UN. She is currently a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, which has put her on unpaid administrative leave.
• A 2023 interview: The Washington Post reports that in a voluntary interview with the FBI in June 2023, Terry described herself as a "source" for South Korea's National Intelligence Service and also shared that she had "resigned in lieu of termination" from the CIA after questions arose regarding her contacts with Korean intelligence officers.
• The charges: She's charged with two felonies: failing to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and conspiring to violate FARA. Reuters notes that South Korea is not a defendant in the case. In addition to the designer goods, she's accused of accepting at least $37,000 in covert funding for a policy program she controlled.

• Alleged evidence: Politico reports surveillance camera images included in the indictment are said to show a South Korean agent purchasing a Louis Vuitton handbag with Terry in a Washington store and the two of them exiting the store together, with the agent holding the shopping bag.
• One allegation: As the New York Times reports, "The indictment says she even introduced the spies to congressional staff members, an action that she described as 'bringing the wolf in.'"
• Another allegation: CNN reports Terry was part of an off-the-record North Korea policy briefing involving US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in June 2022. Once the meeting concluded, she allegedly gave her handler "detailed handwritten notes" on what was discussed.
• From her lawyer: "These allegations are unfounded and distort the work of a scholar and news analyst known for her independence and years of service to the United States. In fact, she was a harsh critic of the South Korean government during times this indictment alleges that she was acting on its behalf. Once the facts are made clear it will be evident the government made a significant mistake."

(More South Korea stories.)