Spy agency snub raises US alliance concerns in S. Korea

A recent snub of Seoul's spy agency during a trilateral meeting with Washington and Tokyo has heightened concerns over possible friction in the South Korea-U.S. alliance, sources said Friday. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) on Thursday acknowledged that it had been excluded from the June meeting on North Korean cyber threats, after a news report said the agency had been left out at Washington's request. While the NIS downplayed the incident, the exclusion has fueled concerns over bilateral ties, with continued reports of friction between the two partners. Earlier in the day, the industry ministry dismissed a local news report alleging U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had voiced distrust of the NIS during bilateral negotiations on strategic investment projects. In light of the reports, a senior ruling bloc insider acknowledged that "various issues" between the two sides have had an impact on overall bilateral ties. "It is not good for bilateral relations to be shaky like this," the official told Yonhap News Agency by phone. "It is never desirable for problems to arise in the