Ex-US intelligence official accused of spying for South Korea in return for luxury bribes

In return, the South Korean intelligence officers allegedly provided Terry with Bottega Veneta and Louis Vuitton handbags, a Dolce & Gabbana coat, dinners at Michelin-starred sushi restaurants, and more than US$37,000 in “covert” funding for a public policy programme on Korean affairs that she ran.

The indictment contains surveillance camera images of Terry awaiting or carrying a gift bag while the officers pay at Bottega Veneta and Louis Vuitton stores in Washington in 2019 and 2021, respectively.

Terry’s alleged work as an agent began in 2013, two years after she left US government employment, and lasted a decade even after FBI agents warned her in 2014 that South Korean intelligence might try to offer to covertly pay for events.

She is now a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, according to the think tank’s website, and an expert on East Asia and the Korean peninsula, including North Korea.

Terry did not immediately respond to a request for comment but her lawyer, Lee Wolosky, said in a statement: “These allegations are unfounded and distort the work of a scholar and news analyst known for her independence and years of service to the United States.”

“In fact, she was a harsh critic of the South Korean government during times this indictment alleges that she was acting on its behalf. Once the facts are made clear it will be evident the government made a significant mistake,” he added.

The Council on Foreign Relations put Terry on unpaid administrative leave, and will cooperate with any investigation, a spokeswoman said.

South Korea is not a defendant. Its Washington embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Seoul’s National Intelligence Service and foreign ministry said they did not