Sue Mi Terry, a former US CIA analyst, has been indicted on charges of acting as an unregistered agent for the South Korean government, according to a recent indictment. Terry, who served as a source of information for South Korean intelligence, allegedly received luxury handbags, and dinners at Michelin-starred restaurants in exchange for her services.
The indictment claims that Terry began her covert role in 2013, two years after leaving her US government position, and continued this activity for nearly a decade. In exchange for her espionage services, she was treated to lavish meals and high-end items worth thousands of dollars. The South Korean handlers reportedly sent $37,000 to a think tank where Terry worked on a public policy program related to Korea.
Security camera footage included in the indictment shows Terry meeting South Korean officials in Washington, DC, receiving items such as a $3,450 Louis Vuitton handbag, a $2,950 Bottega Veneta handbag, and a $2,845 Dolce & Gabbana coat.
Additionally, the indictment reveals that Terry admitted to the FBI that she provided information to South Korean intelligence, including passing handwritten notes from an off-the-record meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in June 2022 about North Korea policy.
The indictment charges Terry with failing to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and conspiring to violate this law. Prosecutors assert that despite her extensive activities directed by the South Korean government, Terry did not register as a foreign agent with the Justice Department as required.
Terry’s lawyer, Lee Wolosky, has denied the charges, calling them “unfounded” and claiming they “distort” her work as an independent scholar and analyst. Wolosky emphasized that Terry was a harsh critic of the South Korean government during the period she is accused of acting on its behalf and expressed confidence that the facts will demonstrate the government’s mistake.
Sue Mi Terry, a naturalized US citizen born in Seoul, South Korea, and raised in Virginia and Hawaii, previously worked as the deputy national intelligence officer for East Asia at the National Intelligence Council. She later transitioned to roles at think tanks, including the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). The CFR has placed Terry on unpaid administrative leave and has stated its intention to cooperate with the investigation.
The National Intelligence Service of South Korea has confirmed it is in contact with its US counterpart regarding the indictment.
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