US to drop South Korea intelligence case against ex-CIA analyst - Reuters

The United States Department of Justice has reached an agreement to drop criminal charges against Sue Mi Terry, a former Central Intelligence Agency analyst who was accused of acting as an unregistered foreign agent for the South Korean government. The decision, filed in a two-page letter in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan on October 13, concludes a high-profile case just weeks before the scheduled start of her trial.

Under the terms of the deal with federal prosecutors in New York City, Terry will not face jail time. Prosecutors did not provide an explicit explanation for their decision to abandon the case, which had alleged that Terry covertly worked for South Korean officials and received luxury gifts in exchange for her influence and assistance.

Terry, who served as a senior fellow for Korea studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, has consistently maintained her innocence throughout the legal proceedings. Her legal team argued that the charges were based on activities typical of a prominent scholar specializing in international relations and Asian affairs.

In a statement following the announcement, Terry’s lawyer, Lee Wolosky, expressed satisfaction with the outcome. He stated that his client had served the United States loyally for many years and maintained that her interactions with South Korean officials were conducted in furtherance of U.S. interests and her professional work as a leading specialist on North Korea and East Asia.

The resolution of the case marks an unexpected end to the government’s pursuit of the allegations. While the prosecution had initially sought to hold Terry accountable for failing to register as a foreign agent, the agreement effectively halts the proceedings without further legal penalties.