South Korea played down any possibility of a rift with the U.S. over a report that American intelligence agencies had eavesdropped on allies’ discussions about Ukraine, reiterating that its alliance with Washington remains strong.
“We will review past precedents and cases from other countries to come up with countermeasures,” and will hold consultations with the U.S. on the issue, South Korea’s presidential office said in a statement Sunday. It said the allegation made in the report about internal discussions on Ukraine is “not a confirmed matter.”
South Korea issued the statement in response to a New York Times report claiming the U.S. had been eavesdropping on allies, including South Korea, with regard to their plans to support Ukraine with weaponry. The leaked Pentagon document on which the report was based was released on social media, and revealed that the U.S. was also spying on Ukraine’s top military and political leaders.
