US drops prosecution of ex-CIA analyst accused of South Korea spying

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 07:44 · Archive

The US Justice Department has agreed not to prosecute former CIA analyst Sue Mi Terry, who was accused of secretly working for South Korean intelligence.

The US Justice Department has halted prosecution of Sue Mi Terry, a former CIA analyst who was accused of secretly working for South Korean intelligence. The deal, filed in court on Tuesday, defers her prosecution for one year, after which all charges will be dropped if Terry avoids further legal trouble. This agreement came weeks before she was scheduled to stand trial in Manhattan federal court on charges of acting as an unregistered foreign agent.

Terry had been accused of sharing nonpublic government information with South Korean intelligence officers, arranging access for foreign officials to US officials, and accepting high-end gifts while publicly advocating South Korean government positions. As part of the deal, Terry signed a document acknowledging certain facts, including that she had shared notes from an off-the-record 2022 meeting with then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken to a South Korean intelligence officer.

Terry has maintained her innocence throughout. Her attorney, Lee Wolosky, stated that she had 'served her country loyally for many years' and that 'her interactions with South Korean officials were conducted in furtherance of U.S. interests and her work as a leading American specialist on North Korea and East Asia'. The Justice Department did not explain its decision to defer prosecution, saying only that the interests of both Terry and the US 'will be best served by deferring prosecution'.

How it is being reported

• Ex-CIA analyst accused of spying for South Korea escapes trial in stunning DOJ dealThe U.S. Justice Department has agreed not to prosecute a former CIA analyst who was accused of serving as a secret agent for South Korea’s intelligence serviceIndependent World · 15 Oct, 07:16
• US halts prosecution of former CIA analyst accused of secretly working for South Korea in exchange for designer goodsThe U.S. Justice Department has agreed not to prosecute a former CIA analyst who in 2024 was accused of serving as a secret agent for South Korea’s intelligence service, according to court documents filed Tuesday.New York Post · 14 Oct, 10:57

In this story: Sue Mi Terry · South Korea · CIA · Lee Wolosky · Antony Blinken · US Justice Department · Manhattan

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem