Sue Mi Terry Faces US Charges for Acting as Unregistered Agent of South Korean Government
Sue Mi Terry, a former CIA analyst and National Security Council (NSC) official, has been indicted on charges of working as an unregistered agent for the South Korean government, allegedly in exchange for luxurious gifts. The indictment, made public on July 16 in Manhattan federal court, accuses Terry of disclosing confidential US government information to South Korean intelligence officers and assisting in facilitating access for South Korean officials to US counterparts.
The indictment alleges that Terry received luxury items, including high-end handbags from Bottega Veneta and Louis Vuitton, a Dolce and Gabbana coat, and over $37,000 in covert funding for a public policy program on Korean affairs that she ran. Surveillance images from 2019 and 2021 show her receiving gifts at luxury stores in Washington.
Terry, who was a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a recognized expert on East Asia, denies the allegations. Her lawyer, Lee Wolosky, maintains that the charges are unfounded and that Terry, who has criticized the South Korean government in the past, did not act on behalf of Seoul. The Council on Foreign Relations has placed Terry on unpaid leave and vowed to cooperate with any investigation.
The charges include failure to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and conspiracy to violate that law. Terry reportedly admitted in a 2023 FBI interview that she acted as a “source” for South Korea’s intelligence services, providing valuable information.
Terry, who has contributed to multiple TV programs and written extensively about East Asia, worked as a senior CIA analyst from 2001 to 2008 and held a significant role in Korean, Japan, and Oceanic Affairs at the NSC under both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
