A former CIA analyst has been charged with spying for South Korea's government. It's an unusual case involving cash, clothing and allegations of lobbying for a foreign government.
A grand jury in New York has indicted Sue Mi Terry for failing to register as a foreign agent while working with South Korea’s government for more than a decade.
According to a 31-page indictment, Terry was born in Seoul and raised in Virginia and Hawaiʻi.
She earned a PhD from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, worked for 7 years as a senior analyst at the CIA, and was at the National Security Council for several years.
Later, she worked at a series of think tanks, publishing articles and speaking about policy in South Korea and the region.
The U.S. government says during that period, she was paid to promote the interests of South Korea's government and to serve as “a valuable source of information for the Republic of Korea's National Intelligence Service.”
Payoffs allegedly included a few thousand dollars in clothing, handbags and meals — and a $37,000 donation to a fund at a think tank where she worked.
A senior FBI official said the arrest “sends a clear message: The FBI will pursue and arrest anyone who endangers our nation's security by collaborating with foreign spies.”
Her attorney calls the allegations “unfounded,” adding that “once the facts are made clear it will be evident the government made a significant mistake. ”
