The United States has partly restricted the sharing of satellite intelligence on North Korea with South Korea due to remarks by Seoul’s unification minister about one of Pyongyang’s nuclear facilities, reports said Tuesday.
Chung Dong-young told South Korea’s parliament last month that North Korea was suspected of operating a uranium enrichment site – a key step in making a nuclear bomb – in the northwestern Kusong region.
Washington, South Korea’s security ally, lodged protests over Chung’s comments, saying they disclosed sensitive information from US intelligence without authorization, according to the South’s Yonhap news agency and multiple local outlets.
It has “limited” some satellite information on the North that was previously routinely handed over to Seoul, the reports said.
The restrictions have applied “since the beginning of this month” but “(do) not significantly affect military preparedness,” an unnamed South Korean military official was quoted as saying by Yonhap on Tuesday.
“Intelligence collection and sharing regarding North Korea’s military activities are proceeding normally between South Korean and US authorities, just as before,” the official reportedly said.
Neither South Korean nor US authorities have explicitly denied that restrictions have been imposed.
United States Forces Korea (USFK), Washington’s military presence in the country, told AFP on Tuesday that it was “aware of the media articles” and had “nothing to add.”
A spokesperson for South Korea’s unification ministry said Monday that Seoul “did not receive any information” about the Kusong facility “from any other agency.”
North Korea is known to operate uranium enrichment facilities in Yongbyon, in the north, and Kangson, near the capital Pyongyang.
Source: Insider Paper
