In a surprising turn of events, Sue Mi Terry, a well-known expert on North Korea and former CIA analyst, has been indicted by a New York grand jury on charges of secretly working for the South Korean government. The indictment alleges that Terry acted as a foreign agent, advocating South Korean policy positions and disclosing nonpublic U.S. government information to South Korean intelligence officers.

According to the unsealed indictment, Terry began her role as a foreign agent in June 2013, meeting with an unnamed "handler" on multiple occasions. At the direction of Republic of Korea (ROK) government officials, she allegedly wrote opinion articles and made media appearances advocating South Korean policy positions. Additionally, Terry allegedly facilitated access for South Korean government officials to U.S. government officials.

In return for her services, South Korean officials allegedly provided Terry with various benefits, including approximately $37,000, which was deposited into a designated "gift" account at the think tank where she worked. Terry also received luxury goods such as a $3,450 Louis Vuitton handbag and a $2,845 Dolce & Gabbana coat, along with lavish dinners at Michelin star restaurants. Furthermore, it is claimed that she was paid to write opinion articles in American and Korean media outlets that supported South Korean policy positions.

The Council on Foreign Relations, Terry's employer, has placed her on administrative leave since learning of the indictment. A spokesperson for the think tank expressed the seriousness with which they are taking these allegations. Terry acted as a "valuable source" of information for the South Korean government, according to the indictment.

One specific incident highlighted in the indictment is when Terry participated in an off-the-record North Korea policy briefing with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in June 2022. Immediately after the meeting, she allegedly passed detailed handwritten notes to her handler, describing the contents of the closed-door briefing.

Authorities from South Korea's National Intelligence Service have stated that they are in close communication with US intelligence authorities regarding the indictment and its relation to the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Under US law, American citizens are obligated to register as foreign agents if they engage in certain activities on behalf of a foreign government, which Terry is accused of not doing.

Terry, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Seoul, has an extensive background in East Asian issues. She worked for the US government from 2001, including a prominent tenure as a CIA analyst, before resigning in 2008 due to a conflict of interest regarding her relationship with South Korea's National Intelligence Service. Terry later served as the director for Japan, Korea, and Oceanic affairs for the National Security Council under both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations.

It is worth noting that in previous congressional testimony, Terry had sworn under oath that she had not acted as a foreign agent while discussing North Korea's nuclear activity escalation.

This indictment raises questions about the friendship between the United States and South Korea, as it is not the first case of alleged collusion between the two countries. Leaked internal Pentagon documents last year revealed private conversations that the U.S. had allegedly wiretapped between two senior South Korean national security officials, further straining the relationship between the two key allies in the Asia-Pacific region.