United States prosecutors have charged a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee with allegedly working for South Korea in exchange for luxury gifts, as reported by the US Department of Justice.
Sue Mi Terry, employed by the US government from 2001 to 2011, is accused of passing confidential information to South Korea’s government and lobbying on its behalf, according to an indictment filed in a New York federal court on Monday.
The indictment alleges that Terry began her covert activities in 2013, two years after leaving US government service, and continued for a decade.
In return, Terry received luxury meals and items worth thousands of dollars, including handbags. Her South Korean handlers reportedly sent $37,000 to a think tank where she worked on a public policy program related to Korea, the charges state.
Security camera photos included in the indictment show Terry meeting with South Korean officials in Washington, DC, receiving high-end items such as a $3,450 Louis Vuitton handbag, a $2,950 Bottega Veneta handbag, a $2,845 Dolce & Gabbana coat, and other luxury goods.
The 31-page indictment mentions that Terry admitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about serving as a source for South Korean intelligence. This included sharing handwritten notes from a June 2022 off-the-record meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken regarding government policy on North Korea.
Terry faces charges of failing to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and conspiring to violate the law.
“Despite extensive activities for and at the direction of South Korea’s government, Terry did not register as a foreign agent with the Justice Department as required,” prosecutors stated.
Terry’s lawyer, Lee Wolosky, denied the charges, calling them “unfounded” and claiming they distort her work as an independent scholar and analyst.
“In fact, she was a harsh critic of the South Korean government during the period this indictment alleges she was acting on its behalf,” Wolosky stated. “Once the facts are clear, it will be evident that the government made a significant mistake.”
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service confirmed it was in contact with its US counterpart regarding the indictment.
The indictment reveals that Terry is a naturalized US citizen, born in Seoul, South Korea, and raised in Virginia and Hawaii.
During her government tenure, Terry also served as the deputy national intelligence officer for East Asia at the National Intelligence Council before moving to think tanks, including the Council on Foreign Relations.
The Council on Foreign Relations has placed Terry on unpaid administrative leave and has stated it will cooperate with any investigation, according to a spokesperson.