National Intelligence Service Rebuts Han Dong-hoon's Claim That Its Chief Was Denied Entry to the US

Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon reiterated on the 7th that the National Intelligence Service had effectively admitted to his claim that NIS Director Lee Jong-seok was denied entry into the United States, but the agency pushed back in a media notice, saying it was "not true at all." The dispute began the previous day, the 6th. At the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee audit of the Foreign Ministry, Rep. Han claimed that the NIS director had attempted to visit the United States around March this year, but the US side refused him entry, citing his anti-American leanings among other concerns.

Rep. Han disclosed that he received a response from the NIS at around 6 p.m. that day, saying the reply read: "It is difficult to answer as this concerns intelligence cooperation between Korea and the US and matters of national security." He added, "The NIS confirmed orally that it was 'in accordance with instructions from NIS headquarters.'" He posted the same message on social media. He argued that, compared with the NIS's specific rebuttal in a media notice to reports the previous day that a visa had been denied to an NIS official scheduled to be dispatched to the US, any reasonable judgment would conclude that the agency had effectively admitted his claim was true.

In its media notice, the NIS stated, "We once again make clear that the claim that the US denied entry to the NIS director is not true at all." The agency also pointed out that "Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said at yesterday's parliamentary audit that it was not true." At the audit the previous day, Minister Cho denied Rep. Han's claim, saying, "Not to my knowledge," and adding, "That could not have happened."

That day's parliamentary audit was held at the Inter-Korean Dialogue Headquarters in Jongno-gu, Seoul, with Unification Minister Chung Dong-young present to take questions.