Yoon Administration Pushes to Elevate Korea-US-Japan 'Intelligence Alliance'... Managing 'US Eavesdropping Scandal'

Strengthening Bilateral Intelligence Sharing at the June 26 Korea-US Summit
Concerns Over Public Opinion Deterioration Amid US Eavesdropping Controversy

The Presidential Office is expected to present measures to strengthen information sharing, including cyber cooperation between South Korea and the United States, at the upcoming Korea-US summit scheduled for the 26th. It is highly likely that the alliance will be elevated to the level of the Five Eyes (FVEY) intelligence alliance, which includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The rationale is that in order to respond to the changing security environment, including North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, shifts in the international order, and cyber threats, it is essential to establish a trilateral intelligence alliance including South Korea, the United States, and Japan. However, following last month's visit to Japan and amid controversies over alleged US intelligence agency wiretapping and surveillance, President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval ratings have sharply declined, so significant opposition is expected.

According to the Presidential Office on the 17th, the National Security Office is in the final stages of coordinating with the US on a separate document aimed at strengthening intelligence cooperation between South Korea and the United States to an alliance level ahead of President Yoon Suk-yeol's visit to the US. When asked about this by reporters upon his return to Incheon International Airport on the 15th after his US visit, Kim Tae-hyo, the first deputy director of the National Security Office, said, "There is an English-speaking intelligence alliance called Five Eyes, and we have a Korea-US alliance that perhaps shares even deeper cyber intelligence, so we will solidify this intelligence alliance."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Five Eyes is an intelligence-sharing alliance formed by English-speaking countries?the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand?originally created to counter the Soviet Union (now Russia) and other communist bloc countries. The intelligence agencies of these countries share collected intelligence to enhance their response capabilities on security matters.

Cybersecurity cooperation was agreed upon during the summit held when US President Joe Biden visited South Korea last May. Given North Korea's theft of Bitcoin, hacking, distribution of malicious viruses, as well as advancements in missile and satellite technology, the importance of cyber intelligence warfare and space has increased, leading to the plan to elevate the Korea-US intelligence alliance to the level of Five Eyes. Especially amid repeated blocks by China and Russia at the UN Security Council against sanctions on North Korea, the need to impose sanctions on North Korea's illegal cyber activities is also highlighted.

The Presidential Office has effectively confirmed that the wiretapping controversy will not be raised as an agenda item at the summit. Instead, there is a possibility of promoting a plan to include Japan in the Korea-US intelligence alliance, thereby advancing a strengthened Korea-US-Japan information-sharing framework. Deputy Director Kim also responded to a question about the possibility of including Japan in the Korea-US intelligence alliance on his return by saying, "There is a strong possibility, but I believe it can be reviewed step-by-step depending on the issue."

However, if the intelligence alliance is elevated while the US intelligence agency wiretapping controversy remains unresolved, public opinion could worsen further. Additionally, Japan's repeated actions over the past month following the Korea-Japan summit?such as publishing elementary school history textbooks with distorted content and asserting territorial claims over Dokdo?also pose a burden by undermining the outcomes of the Korea-Japan summit.

In fact, recent various public opinion polls show a sharp decline in President Yoon's approval ratings. According to a regular poll released by Realmeter on the same day (conducted by ARS automated response method on 2,506 adults aged 18 and over nationwide from the 10th to the 14th, commissioned by Media Tribune; detailed information is available on the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website), President Yoon's approval rating dropped by 2.8 percentage points from the previous week to 33.6%. Earlier, a poll released by Gallup Korea on the 14th (self-conducted survey from the 11th to the 13th targeting 1,002 adults aged 18 and over nationwide) also showed President Yoon's approval rating at 27%, the lowest level in five months.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.