The government has addressed reports of limited information sharing between the U.S. and South Korea regarding North Korea’s nuclear program, asserting that there are no issues in the coordination of their North Korea policies.
During a regular press briefing on Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Il stated that there have been claims suggesting cracks in U.S.-South Korea coordination on North Korea policy. He emphasized that its cooperation on North Korea policy continues seamlessly.
Park further explained that information sharing between the two nations is mutually complementary rather than one-sided. He added that close communication is maintained on all matters, not just information sharing.
Tensions arose over U.S.-South Korea information sharing following comments by Unification Minister Chung Dong-young about nuclear facilities.
During a National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee meeting on March 6, Minister Chung publicly mentioned uranium enrichment facilities in Yongbyon and Gangseon, as well as the city of Kusong. The U.S. reportedly reacted strongly, viewing this as the disclosure of sensitive information without prior consultation.
As a result, it’s reported that the U.S. has restricted sharing certain satellite-gathered information on North Korean nuclear and missile technology since early this month. However, military authorities clarified that information sharing on missile launch indicators and major military developments continues as usual, ensuring no impact on North Korea surveillance operations.
The Ministry of Unification stated that Minister Jeong’s remarks were based on public documents and international research reports, and this explanation was communicated to the U.S.
The Ministry of National Defense emphasized the maintenance of a robust information-sharing system between the U.S. and South Korea, but could not confirm specifics regarding any limitations.