Things just got spicy in the world of espionage! Sue Mi Terry, a former CIA analyst, has been charged with spying for the South Korean government. And what was her payment for betraying her own country? Luxury goods, bags, and fancy meals, of course!
Now, let’s break this down. Sue Mi Terry, once a trusted member of the CIA, decided to throw it all away for a few Louis Vuitton bags and some fancy dinners. Talk about selling out! But hey, who can resist the allure of designer handbags and a five-star meal, right?
So, how did Sue Mi Terry get caught?
Federal officials say Ms Terry – a prominent US expert on North Korea – acted as an agent for the South Korean government for over a decade, but she did not register as a foreign agent with American officials, according to court documents made public on Tuesday in the Southern District of New York.
The Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank where Ms Terry works as a senior fellow on Asia, has placed her on unpaid leave, a spokesperson told US outlets. The organisation has also removed her biography from its website.
Ms Terry, 54, denies the charges and her attorney, Lee Wolosky, told the BBC the allegations against her were “unfounded”.
The charges “distort the work of a scholar and news analyst known for her independence and years of service to the United States”, Mr Wolosky said. “In fact, she was a harsh critic of the South Korean government during times this indictment alleges that she was acting on its behalf.”
Born in South Korea, Ms Terry moved to the US at age 12, according to her previous employer at Columbia University.
In 2001, she earned her doctorate from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, a prominent international relations school in Massachusetts. She is known to lecture in English and Korean.
Ms Terry, 54, then went on to work as a senior analyst for the CIA from 2001 to 2008, before holding a variety of posts in the federal government, including as Director for Korea, Japan, and Oceanic Affairs at the National Security Council during the George W Bush and Barack Obama administrations.
Prosecutors say Ms Terry’s work as an agent for the South Korean government began in 2013, about five years, after she stopped working for the CIA and the National Security Council.
In the 31-page indictment, officials say Ms Terry admitted to FBI agents in a voluntary interview in 2023 that she was a “source” for South Korea’s National Intelligence Service.
The indictment alleges that the South Korean government gifted Ms Terry a $2,845 (£2,100) Dolce & Gabbana coat, a $3,450 Louis Vuitton handbag and meals at upscale restaurants.
Officials say the government also gave her $37,000 and came up with a plan to hide the source of the funds, ultimately placing them in a gift fund at the think tank where she worked.
It just goes to show that greed can make people do some pretty crazy things. Selling out your own country for material possessions? That’s a new low, even for the world of espionage.
