South Korea Says US Raises Intelligence Cooperation Concerns

South Korea's ambassador to the United States reported that Washington has raised concerns about intelligence cooperation between the two nations, according to Yonhap news agency. The ambassador made the remarks during a South Korean parliamentary audit in Washington.

Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha identified intelligence sharing as the most challenging issue in bilateral relations. He stated that communication between the two countries' intelligence agencies is continuing and has made progress, though he did not specify the nature of US concerns.

Kang also mentioned that access to senior White House officials has been limited. South Korea's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the report.

South Korean media reported that Washington asked that Seoul's National Intelligence Service be excluded from a June meeting with US and Japanese officials regarding North Korean cyber threats. Seoul's spy agency said the matter reflected a past misunderstanding and had been resolved.

Kang said Seoul and Washington were discussing ways to secure South Korean rights to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel, either through revising their civil nuclear agreement or an additional arrangement. No progress had been made towards a summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung told a cabinet meeting on Tuesday that Seoul should avoid subservient attitudes in dealings with other countries. He emphasized the US alliance as a central pillar of South Korean diplomacy, while acknowledging that differences between nations are inevitable and should be managed through dialogue.