S. Korea, U.S. working to resolve intelligence sharing dispute over North Korea nuclear disclosure

HANOI, April 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States have been in close communication to resolve misunderstandings over Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's public disclosure of a North Korean nuclear facility, Seoul's top security official said, amid speculation that Washington may have scaled back intelligence sharing over the issue. National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac made the remarks after media reports that Washington has partially suspended intelligence sharing on North Korea in protest of Chung's remarks about a uranium enrichment facility in North Korea's western city of Kusong during a parliamentary session last month. "We are actively communicating with the U.S. over this issue," Wi told reporters in Hanoi on Thursday during President Lee Jae Myung's trip to Vietnam. "Both sides are making efforts to find an exit (from this situation)." There appear to be "some differences in perception" between the two sides, Wi noted, as Chung has said he obtained the information on Kusong's nuclear facility from publicly available sources, while the U.S. suspects the minister may have disclosed classified information it shared with Seoul. Neither Seoul nor Washington has officially confirmed the existence of a uranium enrichment site in Kusong, though the area has long been suspected of housing nuclear facilities. Wi underscored the importance of continued communication between the allies to address their differences and "promptly return to the normal state of cooperation." When asked whether Washington had actually curtailed information sharing with Seoul, Wi declined to either confirm or dismiss such reports, citing the sensitive nature of intelligence issues. He cautioned against the diplomatic issue becoming a subject of domestic political disputes, warning that it could strain the Seoul-Washington alliance. The official also voiced concerns that a controversy surrounding South Korea's probe into Coupang Corp., the South Korean unit of U.S.-listed Coupang Inc., over a massive data leak may be affecting security consultations with the U.S., stressing that they should be handled on separate tracks. Coupang has emerged as a source of friction between Seoul and Washington after some U.S. officials and lawmakers raised concerns about whether the company is being treated unfairly. "We are discussing with the U.S. on the basis that the Coupang issue should proceed in accordance with legal procedures, while security negotiations should move forward on a separate track," Wi said. Seoul has been in consultation with Washington to implement security agreements outlined in a joint fact sheet signed in November, which included U.S. approval for South Korea's plan to build nuclear-powered submarines. Wi acknowledged that security talks have been delayed, adding that such delays are not helpful to the bilateral alliance. "The security consultations should not be delayed and need to be concluded as soon as possible," he said. In response to a recent letter from U.S. Republican lawmakers calling for an end to what they described as "discriminatory regulatory actions" against American companies, Wi said Seoul has been actively engaging with U.S. lawmakers to explain its position on the issue. Wi also reaffirmed Seoul's commitment to an early transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington after U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson said earlier this week that the allies aim to meet the conditions required for the handover by no later than the first quarter of 2029. "We will continue to convey our position and make every effort to ensure that the transfer of wartime operational control is carried out at an early date, without any gaps in military readiness and without undermining the Korea-U.S. alliance framework," he said. The conditions agreed upon in 2014 include South Korea's ability to lead combined forces, its strike and missile defense capabilities, and a regional security environment conducive to the transfer. Asked about Brunson's remarks that "political expediency does not outpace the conditions," Wi said wartime operational control is ultimately "a political decision" to be made by the leaders of the two countries, adding that it should be handled by foreign and security authorities rather than being treated solely as a military matter.