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U.S. Justice Department Ends Case Against Former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Analyst Sue Mi Terry
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Dropped Charges in Deferred Prosecution Agreement
The Justice Department announced that criminal charges against Sue Mi Terry, a former CIA analyst and senior fellow for Korea studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, will be dismissed under a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA). The agreement, filed in the Southern District of New York, provides that the charges will be dropped if Terry complies with the terms, which include a one-year prohibition on contact with South Korean intelligence officials. The filing was submitted on October 13 and did not explain why the DPA was chosen, stating only that the interests of the United States and Terry would be “best served” by the deal.
Background of the Foreign-Agent Investigation
Prosecutors charged Terry in 2024 with violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) by acting as an unregistered agent for the South Korean government. The indictment alleged that, beginning in 2013, she received luxury items—including a Dolce & Gabbana coat valued at US $2,845, a Louis Vuitton handbag worth US $3,450, and at least US $37,000 deposited into a “gift account” linked to her think-tank—and that she provided South Korean intelligence officers with notes from a meeting with the U.S. secretary of state. The case was part of a broader DOJ effort to curb foreign influence, which has also targeted Chinese-related activities and the bribery conviction of former New Jersey senator Robert Menendez.
Official Statements
Lee Wolosky, Terry’s attorney, said the agreement reflects her long-standing service to the United States. “We have consistently maintained that her interactions with South Korean officials were conducted in furtherance of US interests and her work as a leading American specialist on North Korea and East Asia,” — Lee Wolosky, a lawyer for Terry He emphasized that her interactions with South Korean officials were intended to advance U.S. interests and that she remains a leading specialist on North Korea and East Asia.
Criticism from Civil-Liberties Groups
The brief contends that the government’s approach could chill academic and policy discourse involving foreign affairs.
Gifts and Restrictions (Data & Statistics)
- Luxury gifts reported by prosecutors: Dolce & Gabbana coat (US $2,845), Louis Vuitton handbag (US $3,450).
- Gift account contributions: at least US $37,000.
- Admission of assistance: relaying a secretary-of-state meeting summary to South Korean intelligence.
- DPA condition: no contact with South Korean intelligence officials for one year.
The case concluded without a trial, leaving open questions about how the DOJ will balance foreign-influence enforcement with protections for scholarly work.