Facts about US surveillance claims must be identified, says South Korean presidential office

[ad_1]

South Korea’s presidential office said on Monday that the facts would first have to be established regarding the allegation that a US intelligence agency wiretapped discussions of senior officials from Korea’s National Security Office. South. Once the two countries establish the facts, we will demand adequate measures from the United States, he said. The office added that some of the documents leaked in the wiretaps could have been altered or fabricated. His comments appear to attempt to downplay the unexpected impact of the allegations on the bilateral alliance two weeks before South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeols’ visit to the United States. At the same time, the presidential office plans to strengthen internal security review and develop response measures. The allegation was mentioned at the Chief Secretary’s meeting chaired by the President on Monday.

The process of establishing facts and requesting adequate measures will be conducted based on the relationship of trust between South Korea and the United States, a member of the presidential office said. However, he added that what was reported by US media is not a confirmed fact. Establishing the facts is the priority because the US Department of Defense has also asked the Department of Justice to conduct an investigation, he added. A thief cannot be said to have broken into a house without confirming whether there was a thief and what he stole if there was, he also said. As every country in the world engages in espionage, there is no reason to say that we have been robbed from a national interest perspective.

The National Security Bureau and the Presidential Security Service are reviewing measures to enhance security. A member of the presidential office said on Monday that the presidential secretariat is cautious about security and will take further steps to strengthen security in the face of such an allegation.

Meanwhile, Kim Tae-hyo, the first deputy chief of the National Security Bureau, will visit the United States from Tuesday to Saturday to discuss final coordination of President Yoons’ state visit at the end of this month. Kim will discuss the wiretapping allegation during her visit. Working-level staff, including the Foreign Office’s director general for North American countries, also left for Washington on Monday.

According to Reuters, the US Department of Defense said in a statement on Sunday that highly classified documents appeared to be included and that they were verifying the validity of the documents photographed.

Kwan-Seok Jang [email protected]

[ad_2]