US Limits Satellite Intelligence Sharing with South Korea After Disclosure on North Korean Nuclear Site

The United States has partially restricted the sharing of satellite intelligence on North Korea with South Korea, following remarks by Seoul's unification minister about a suspected nuclear facility in the Kusong region. com reported that Unification Minister Chung Dong-young told parliament last month that North Korea was believed to be operating a uranium enrichment site in the Kusong region.

Washington stated that Chung Dong-young's claim disclosed sensitive intelligence without authorization. The US has limited some satellite information that was earlier routinely shared with Seoul since the beginning of this month, according to Yonhap and other local media outlets.

The restrictions do not affect military preparedness, an unnamed South Korean military official stated. Intelligence-sharing on North Korea's military activities continues normally between the United States and South Korea, the official added, as reported by AFP.

Chung Dong-young defended his remarks by calling it deeply regrettable that they were seen as a leak and insisted the information was based on publicly available sources. President Lee Jae Myung backed Chung Dong-young, stating that the existence of the Kusong facility was already widely known through academic research and media reports.

President Lee Jae Myung said any claims that Minister Chung leaked classified information are wrong, according to Reuters. Chung Dong-young referred to North Korea's Kusong region as one of the sites hosting the country's uranium enrichment facility at a parliamentary session last month, Yonhap reported.

North Korea operates uranium enrichment facilities in Yongbyon and Kangson. The UN nuclear watchdog recently warned of a very serious increase in North Korea's ability to produce atomic weapons. The US maintains around 28,500 troops in South Korea.