Ex- White House employee, CIA analyst is accused of spying on South Korea, feds say
Sue Mi Terry, a 54-year-old former senior White House employee and CIA analyst has been accused of spies for South Korea in exchange for high-end products.
A former senior White House employee and Central Intelligence Agency analyst is accused of working as an agent for South Korea and disclosing U.S. government secrets to that country’s intelligence officers, according to federal prosecutors.
Sue Mi Terry, 54 accused of having “subverted foreign agent registration laws in order to provide South Korean intelligence officers with access, information, and advocacy,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said Wednesday in an Justice Department press release.
The woman was arrested on Tuesday and was charged with the one charge of conspiring to break the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) that is punishable by a maximum that is five years prison as well as one charge of omission to sign up under FARA and can result in a maximum penalty for five years prison according to federal prosecutor.
Lee Wolosky, Terry’s defense attorney, wrote an official statement to USA TODAY on the allegations that were brought against him and stated, “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.”
“Dr. Terry has not held a security clearance for over a decade and her views on matters relating to the Korean peninsula have been consistent over many years,” the statement added. “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.”
What was the punishment Sue Mi Terry receive for her allegations of crime?
The indictment, which is 31 pages long, that was filed with the Southern District of New York describes the ways Terry not only shared confidential information, but also was a vocal advocate for South Korean policies and enabled South Korean officials to gain access to U.S. government officials.
In exchange for payment, Terry would be given extravagant items, lavish dinners and more than $37,000 worth of money for a public policy initiative regarding Korean issues that she managed According to indictment. Some of the items that were given to her included the $2,845 Dolce & Gabbana coat, an $2,500 Bottega Veneta handbag and a $3,450 Louis Vuitton handbag, according to the court documents continued.
“Terry allegedly sold out her positions and influence to the South Korean government in return for luxury handbags, expensive meals, and thousands of dollars of funding for her public policy program,” Williams declared in the statement.
Who is Sue Mi Terry?
Terry was employed in a variety of roles within various positions in the U.S. government from about 2001 until 2011. He was employed as an analyst for East Asian issues for the CIA and as an oceanic affairs officer at the White House National Security Council according to the indictment.
After leaving the administration, Terry has worked at universities within New York City and Washington, D.C. She was visible in the media by appearing on media in writing published articles, or hosting events as an “policy expert specializing in South Korea, North Korea, and various regional issues impacting Asia,” according to the indictment.
Terry has also appeared before Congress on three times regarding her position on the U.S. government’s policy toward Korea. In these hearings, she swore in a declaration her non-representation as an agent of a foreign country, as the indictment of the federal government says.
The woman is also accused of trying to establish a connection between South Korean intelligence agents in 2016 with officials of the administration of President Trump’s then-initiated president in the charge document.
Which secrets could Sue Mi Terry allegedly divulge?
Terry was an “valuable source of information” for the South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) according to the indictment claims. The court document describes the time in June 2002 when she handed out notes on paper for the NIS’s “handler” regarding an off-the-record group meeting she attended with Secretary of State Colin Powell about the government’s policy towards North Korea.
The driver was in the vehicle which took Terry off from her private gathering and snapped photos of her notes as they were in the car as per the indictment.
Another incident which is referred to in the indictment concerns an evening of party that Terry hosted for the congressional staff in the month of April 2023. In addition to having staff from the South Korea NIS pay for the party, but Terry’s handler was also present, dressed as a diplomat and socialized with staff members without revealing the identity of the person he was with according to the indictment.
Terry received a stipend from South Korean officials to write articles for both Korean and the U.S. and Korean press “converting positions and phrases provided by the (South Korean) government,” according federal prosecutor.
“Compromising national security endangers every American by weakening our defenses and putting lives at risk,” FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Christie Curtis said in the publication.