South Korean spy scandals undermine global security partnerships

South Korea’s intelligence agencies, typically operating under a veil of secrecy, have recently been thrust into the spotlight due to a series of high-profile failures that have raised concerns about their effectiveness.

South Korea's intelligence agencies have recently faced significant scrutiny due to high-profile failures, casting a shadow over their operations at a time when Seoul is aiming to strengthen security ties with Western allies, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Recently, the FBI uncovered a lengthy operation involving Korean intelligence agents in Washington who were attempting to recruit a former CIA analyst, now accused of unlawfully acting as a foreign agent for South Korea. Following this, a South Korean defence intelligence command employee was charged by a military court for leaking sensitive information, including names and locations of undercover agents in North Korea and other nations, to a Chinese national.

These incidents, coupled with the ensuing political fallout in Seoul, have sparked concerns about the effectiveness of South Korea's intelligence services amidst rising North Korean threats and growing US-China tensions. “The country was already on edge due to worsening global security conditions, escalating US-China tensions, and the possibility of a second Trump presidency,” noted Jeongmin Kim, lead analyst at Korea Pro in Seoul. “Now, it must also contend with doubts about the basic competence of its security agencies.” 

Kim highlighted that the FBI’s revelation of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) engaging in lavish hospitality and gifting to the former CIA analyst Sue Mi Terry was a significant blow to the NIS's reputation. The leak from the Korean Defense Intelligence Command (KDIC), however, is considered potentially catastrophic. Concerns have been raised that South Korea’s ability to conduct human intelligence operations in North Korea could be severely compromised. “We fear that South Korea’s intelligence operations in North Korea could be at risk,” said Lee Seong-kweun, a member of South Korea’s parliamentary intelligence committee. South Korea’s intelligence agencies have long been engaged in covert operations against North Korea, with the civilian NIS responsible for preventing North Korean infiltration and managing intelligence networks within Kim Jong Un’s regime. 

However, outdated legal frameworks hinder counter-espionage efforts. Jaewoo Choo, a professor of foreign policy at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, pointed out that South Korean law only criminalizes espionage conducted on behalf of North Korea, leaving leaks to other countries, such as China, unaddressed under current espionage laws. Kim from Korea Pro noted that in South Korea's polarized political climate, where accusations of foreign influence are common, expanding espionage laws is a contentious issue. Politicians are wary of broadening the scope of these laws due to fears of being accused of espionage on behalf of foreign powers. Left-leaning politicians fear being labeled as pro-China, while conservatives worry about being accused of serving US or Japanese interests. Efforts to reform the NIS are further complicated by its historical role in monitoring and intimidating political opponents. 

In 2017, the agency was criticized for placing "information officers" in various government, corporate, and media sectors, a move that critics argue was intended to gather compromising information on domestic dissenters. Park Sun-won, a former high-ranking NIS official under President Moon Jae-in, described efforts to modernize the agency by focusing on foreign intelligence and counterterrorism, enhancing cooperation with international agencies like MI5, MI6, and the CIA. However, he accused the current administration under President Yoon Suk Yeol of using the NIS for political purposes, calling it "defunct." Conversely, conservatives like Lee argue that Moon’s reforms weakened the agency, stripping it of vital expertise and investigative capabilities, leaving it ineffective. 

A security expert familiar with South Korea's national security issues pointed out that the lack of bipartisan agreement on the NIS's role has led to factionalism and diminished public trust. The NIS has faced problems of political interference, excessive turnover, and internal conflicts, resulting in questions about its competence.

Choo highlighted that outdated espionage laws also make South Korea vulnerable to Chinese industrial espionage, complicating its efforts to collaborate with Western partners on cybersecurity and advanced defense technologies. Despite South Korea's interest in joining the trilateral Aukus security pact, Western diplomats express concerns about South Korea’s handling of sensitive information, including its cyber defenses, security software, and reliance on the Russian messaging app Telegram. 

Choo concluded that South Korea's current legal and institutional frameworks are insufficient for protecting its most sensitive information, hindering its integration into the Western security alliance.