The South Korean unification ministry clarified to the United States that Minister Chung Dong-young disclosed North Korea’s Kusong region as the third site with a uranium enrichment facility. This revelation, made during a parliamentary session in March, highlighted Kusong in addition to known facilities in Yongbyon and Kangson. Following this disclosure, the US reportedly expressed strong objections to South Korea, citing concerns over sensitive information sharing.
In response to the US protest, the unification ministry reiterated that Chung’s identification of Kusong was based on publicly available data. Deputy spokesperson Chang Yoon-jeong confirmed that the ministry had briefed the US on the context of the minister’s statements. She emphasized that no additional information on Kusong had been received from other sources.
Regarding reports of Washington’s reaction, Chang stated that the ministry had provided background details to the US Embassy in Seoul at their request. She mentioned that the ministry was unaware of any formal protest from the US side or any limitations on information exchange between the two countries. Reports suggested that the US might restrict sharing North Korea-related intelligence with Seoul, triggered by Chung’s remarks amid broader disagreements.
