Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon claimed on October 7 that
"NIS Director Lee Jong-seok was effectively acknowledged to have been denied entry to the United States." However, the NIS dismissed this assertion as completely false.
During a National Assembly audit of the Ministry of Unification held at the North-South Dialogue Headquarters in Jongno, Seoul, Han stated, "I received a response from the NIS regarding the director's entry denial around 6 p.m. today," explaining that the response indicated, "It is difficult to answer due to matters related to South Korea-U.S. intelligence cooperation and national security."
He further compared this to the NIS's specific rebuttal of recent media reports regarding the denial of a visa for an NIS employee scheduled to be dispatched to the U.S., adding, "Judging from common sense, the NIS's response a day later effectively acknowledges the truth of my claim."
Earlier, on October 6, during an audit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Han alleged that "Director Lee attempted to visit the U.S. around March of this year. However, I learned that the U.S. denied his entry due to his anti-American tendencies."
In response, the NIS promptly issued a statement refuting Han's claims, stating, "The assertion regarding the NIS director's entry denial to the U.S. is entirely false. Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun also clarified that this is not true during the audit."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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