Washington: A senior South Korean diplomat stated that efforts are underway between Seoul and Washington to achieve "normalization" following reports of the United States limiting its intelligence sharing on North Korea due to a suspected leak by a South Korean official.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Vice Foreign Minister for Strategy and Intelligence Jeong Yeon-doo made these comments after meeting U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker at the State Department. This meeting occurs amid concerns that the restricted intelligence sharing could impact security cooperation between the two countries.

Jeong confirmed that both nations are making efforts toward resolving the issue, indicating that discussions were held to address any misunderstandings. Reports suggest that the U.S. curtailed South Korea's access to satellite intelligence following Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's mention of North Korea's Kusong area as a site with uranium enrichment facilities. While Seoul claims this information is based on open sources, the U.S. views it as a breach of confidentiality.

The discussions between Jeong and Hooker were anticipated to cover these issues in depth, given their expertise in North Korean affairs. Jeong was in the U.S. to attend a meeting related to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons at the United Nations in New York.

A senior Trump administration official commented on the situation, emphasizing the expectation for partners to protect sensitive information shared through private channels. Meanwhile, South Korea's National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac, speaking in Hanoi, noted that the two nations remain in communication over the matter, though he refrained from confirming or denying changes in intelligence sharing practices.