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Kim Tae-hyo, the first deputy director of the National Security Office, leaves for the US from Incheon International Airport on April 11. (Yonhap)

In response to suspicions that the American CIA intercepted top-secret communications within South Korea’s presidential office, the first deputy director of Seoul’s National Security Office said that “a substantial number” of the recently leaked documents had been forged.

Fielding questions from reporters before jetting off to the US on Tuesday, Kim Tae-hyo of the NSO said that the administration had “internally assessed” the leaked documents, and that America “would have conducted its own investigation.”

“This morning, our two ministers of defense spoke over the phone, and concurred in their views,” he added, saying that many of the classified documents that appeared online had been doctored.

“As ours is an intelligence alliance, we act closely together on pressing matters in the field of intelligence,” Kim told reporters. “Our plan is to use this incident as an opportunity to firm up trust and strengthen systems for bilateral cooperation.”

Going on, Kim said that the recent developments would not represent a “variable” for South Korea’s alliance with the US.

“In the 11 months since the [Yoon] administration took office, both countries have been sharing intelligence on all fields, and are currently working together on key intelligence activities,” Kim said, underscoring that America possessed the strongest intelligence capabilities in the world, which he called “a great asset.”

Kim will spend five days in Washington in preparation for President Yoon Suk-yeol’s state visit later this month.

By Bae Ji-hyun, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]