Song urges South Korea to strengthen independent intelligence capabilities

Ruling party lawmaker Song Young-gil called Monday for South Korea to strengthen its own intelligence collection and assessment capabilities amid concerns about intelligence cooperation with the United States, according to The Korea Times.

Song said the U.S. alliance remains important but the countries' national interests do not always align. His remarks addressed the need for independent intelligence judgment as the opposition questioned the effect of cooperation concerns on South Korea's military readiness.

Song, a member of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, spoke at a parliamentary audit at the military headquarters in Gyeryong, about 145 kilometers south of Seoul, The Korea Times reported.

He said U.S. intelligence resources and assessments have limits. He emphasized the importance of intelligence capabilities to a country's fate, according to the newspaper.

Song said South Korea's military needs its own intelligence assets and the ability to make independent judgments to help keep the country from being drawn into a war.

The opposition People Power Party claimed that concerns about bilateral intelligence cooperation had affected South Korea's readiness posture. The Korea Times described Song's remarks as apparently intended to counter that criticism.

Song also serves as President Lee Jae Myung's special adviser for peace diplomacy. He was appointed to the position Oct. 1, according to the report.

Song linked his call for greater intelligence self-reliance to preventing South Korea from becoming embroiled in a war, while maintaining that the U.S. alliance is important.