Washington 'restricts intelligence sharing on North Korea,' raising security concerns in Seoul

SEOUL, April 28 (AJP) - The U.S. has reportedly restricted the sharing of certain intelligence related to North Korea, raising concerns in South Korea about possible frictions between the two allies and surveillance gaps in joint monitoring capabilities.

According to multiple government sources, Washington has limited access to technical intelligence including satellite data on North Korean nuclear facilities since early this month. Some relevant military information such as imagery and activities detected by U.S. reconnaissance satellites has also reportedly not been shared for about a month.

The development comes after Unification Minister Chung Dong-young brought up Kusong in North Pyongan Province as a new uranium enrichment site in North Korea, information that had not previously been officially confirmed by either government. Chung referred to it as one of three such facilities during a parliamentary session last month, in a rare public disclosure of sensitive details about North Korea.

Although he said the information was based on open-source intelligence, Washington is thought to have regarded it as a potential leak of classified information and appears to have responded by restricting intelligence sharing with Seoul.

Experts warn that if such restrictions continue, the intelligence gap between the two allies could widen, potentially weakening South Korea's ability to monitor North Korea's military activities and other provocations. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek, however, downplayed the concern recently, saying there have been "not many major limitations."

He further clarified that the two countries continue to closely share critical information, particularly data related to North Korea's missile launches. In fact, intelligence was reportedly shared during the North's missile tests earlier this month.

Nevertheless, the restrictions are likely to affect more sensitive intelligence, particularly satellite data on nuclear facilities, which is essential for tracking North Korea's military movements and nuclear development in real time. Until now, the U.S. has provided detailed monitoring of suspected nuclear sites, including reactors, uranium enrichment facilities, and storage areas for nuclear materials.

While South Korea operates five reconnaissance satellites capable of monitoring specific targets at roughly two-hour intervals, analysts say this is not enough to ensure constant surveillance, making it difficult to track multiple locations or mobile missile launchers simultaneously. This may mean North Korea can evade South Korean surveillance.

By comparison, the U.S. operates more than 200 military satellites, along with additional private-sector assets, offering far more comprehensive, high-resolution real-time coverage.