South Korean minister says he explained intelligence-sharing dispute to US

South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said on October 12 that he had given US officials an explanation of his remarks about a facility in Kusong, Yonhap reported.

Chung said he had mentioned the suspected uranium enrichment site at a hearing in July last year, before taking office. He also asked South Korea's ambassador to the United States to explain the circumstances. He attributed the intelligence-sharing dispute to a misunderstanding.

The minister rejected claims that the alliance was weakening and opposition calls for his dismissal. He said shared values did not prevent allies' interests from diverging and argued that Seoul should protect its own interests.

On Sunday, the National Intelligence Service acknowledged restrictions in certain areas but said cooperation with Washington continued across a broad range of issues. It also denied a reduction in the overall volume of information received. Chung's remarks do not establish that all restrictions have been lifted.