Blue House says U.S.-South Korea intelligence cooperation is somewhat constrained, but it does not believe the visa issue is linked

[Financial News] The Blue House said on the 30th that “it is true that the situation surrounding South Korea-U.S. intelligence cooperation is somewhat constrained” and that “this is an issue that needs to be resolved, and we are working to resolve it.” However, regarding a series of setbacks in U.S. visa issuance for ruling-party lawmakers, including Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Jung Cheong-rae and Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Jin Sung-joon, chair of the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee, it said, “We do not believe the visa issue is necessarily linked to South Korea-U.S. relations.”
Asked by reporters that day about remarks by U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Park Steel describing “turbulence in South Korea-U.S. relations,” a senior Blue House official said, “There are various outstanding issues between South Korea and the U.S., and we are discussing them, working to resolve them and to develop the relationship.” The official added, “It seems Ambassador Steel used her own terminology to describe that situation,” and explained, “We are at the stage of seeking ways to resolve the outstanding issues.”
Asked about the causes of the turbulence, the senior official said, “One factor emerged from discussions related to investment; there is also the intelligence cooperation issue, as well as corporate issues, among others. They have all been lumped together, and we are trying to work through them one by one.”
Regarding corporate issues, the official said, “We weren’t talking about Coupang alone. Coupang is one, and there are other companies as well,” adding, “There are issues involving Google, Apple Inc. and various other companies.” The official explained, “They could involve fair trade, labor or law enforcement,” and said, “The U.S. has raised certain concerns, and we are consulting on them.”
A senior Blue House official said, “We cannot say that these issues have no impact whatsoever on other matters, but since this is a law enforcement issue, we are consulting to ensure it does not affect other matters.”
Asked whether the U.S. visa issues involving some Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers were related to the turbulence in South Korea-U.S. relations, the official explained, “We do not believe the visa issue is connected to this matter. Visas will be dealt with as a visa matter, and I think we will have to wait and see.”
The senior official said, “It is not customary to disclose details of the visa issuance process,” adding, “It is standard practice not to communicate what the process is or why a particular outcome occurs, so we cannot know exactly.” The official continued, “The U.S. side’s explanation is that visas are reviewed on a case-by-case basis as visa matters,” and added, “That is why we said it is difficult to see them as connected.”
[email protected] Choi Jong-geun Reporter