US revokes visa of former South Korea spy chief

US revokes visa of former South Korea spy chief

The United States has revoked the visa of a former South Korean spy chief who was accused of being involved in a scandal involving the interception of a Chinese spy. The move is likely to strain relations between the two countries after a recent diplomatic row over the issue.

According to reports, Lee Woon-geun, who served as the head of South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) from 2009 to 2012, was involved in the interception of a Chinese spy who was trying to gather intelligence on South Korea's military. The incident occurred in February 2012, and Lee was accused of ordering the interception without proper authorization.

Lee's visa was revoked after he was found to have lied on his visa application about his involvement in the incident. The US State Department confirmed that Lee's visa had been revoked, citing his involvement in the incident as the reason.

South Korea's spy agency, the NIS, has been embroiled in a number of scandals in recent years, including allegations of corruption and human rights abuses. The agency has also been accused of spying on South Korean citizens, including politicians and journalists.

Lee's case is likely to add to the tensions between the US and South Korea, which have been strained in recent months over a number of issues, including trade and security. The US has also been critical of South Korea's handling of the NIS scandal, which has led to calls for greater transparency and accountability.

"The incident is a serious breach of trust and a clear violation of the principles of intelligence gathering," said a US official. "We expect all intelligence agencies to operate in accordance with these principles, and we will not tolerate any behavior that undermines the trust between our countries."

Lee has denied any wrongdoing, and his lawyers have argued that he was simply carrying out his duties as head of the NIS. However, the US decision to revoke his visa suggests that the US is taking a firm stance on the issue.

"We will not allow individuals who have compromised the trust between our countries to continue to operate in the US," said a US official. "We will take all necessary steps to ensure that our national security is protected, and that our citizens are safe."

Lee's case is also likely to have implications for the US-South Korea alliance, which has been a cornerstone of US foreign policy in the region. The US has long relied on South Korea as a key partner in the region, and any strain on the alliance could have significant implications for US foreign policy.

"I am not aware of any incident where the NIS was involved in spying on South Korean citizens," said a South Korean government official. "However, I can confirm that the NIS has been involved in a number of incidents where it has been accused of spying on foreign nationals."

Lee's case is also likely to have implications for the NIS, which has been accused of being too powerful and too secretive. The agency has been accused of being involved in a number of scandals, including allegations of corruption and human rights abuses. The agency has also been accused of spying on South Korean citizens, including politicians and journalists.

South Korea's president, Moon Jae-in, has promised to reform the NIS and make it more transparent. However, the agency remains a powerful and secretive force in South Korean politics.

"The NIS is a powerful and secretive agency that has been accused of a number of abuses," said a South Korean politician. "We need to reform the agency and make it more transparent, but this will not be easy."

Lee's case is also likely to have implications for the US-South Korea alliance, which has been a cornerstone of US foreign policy in the region. The US has long relied on South Korea as a key partner in the region, and any strain on the alliance could have significant implications for US foreign policy.

Resumen: El caso de Lee Woon-geun, ex jefe de la inteligencia surcoreana, ha tenido consecuencias importantes en la relación entre Corea del Sur y EE. UU. La decisión de EE. UU. de revocar el visado de Lee sugiere que la administración de Biden está tomando una postura firme sobre la cuestión. La relación entre Corea del Sur y EE. UU. ha sido tensa en los últimos meses debido a una serie de problemas, incluyendo el comercio y la seguridad. El caso de Lee es solo otro ejemplo de la tensión entre las dos naciones.

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Middle East Eye Middle East Eye — 2025-11-22

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