“Creating the Korea Mission Center allows us to more purposefully integrate and direct CIA efforts against the serious threats to the United States and its allies emanating from North Korea.”

CIA Director Mike Pompeo (May 2017)

 

May 13 2017 — The CIA has established a special division called the ‘Korea Mission Center’ to address the nuclear and ballistic missile threats posed by North Korea. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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“If the Trump administration was everything for everything, Obama was nothing for nothing. This is something in the middle.”

U.S. Official on N.K. New Policy (May 2021)

UPDATE (May 13 2021) — House press secretary Jen Psaki has confirmed that the Biden administration completed the preliminary results of its North Korea policy review.

“Our goal remains the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, with a clear understanding that the efforts of the past four administrations have not achieved this objective,” she said.

“Our policy will not focus on achieving a grand bargain, nor will it rely on strategic patience.”

Today, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines visited the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the North Korea border.

Haines’ visit comes a week ahead of South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s first summit with new U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington.

It is no secret that Moon is expected to press Biden to engage with North Korea.

END of UPDATE

“I hope that North Korea will take the opportunity to engage diplomatically and to see if there are ways to move forward toward the objective of complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”

Secretary of State Tony Blinken (May 2021)

UPDATE (November 29 2018) — The CIA official in charge of Korean affairs is leaving his post, according to report from Yonhap News Agency.

Andrew Kim, who headed the agency’s Korea Mission Center, will be taking up a research post at Stanford University, the South Korean news agency reported.

Kim played a key role in organizing the summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore earlier this year, according to Yonhap.

Trump and Kim Jong Un are set to meet for a second time early in 2019 to continue discussions on North Korean denuclearization.

Earlier this month, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a U.S. think tank, identified more than a dozen nuclear missile bases in North Korea left unaddressed during ongoing talks between the two sides.

END of UPDATE

CIA Establishes Korea Mission Center (May 10 2017)

Announced via its website on Wednesday May 10 2017, the move aims to bring together experienced officers from across the agency, including a new Assistant Director for Korea who will preside over the center.

It’s believed to be the first time a division like this has been established targeting a specific country.

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has established a Korea Mission Center to harness the full resources, capabilities, and authorities of the Agency in addressing the nuclear and ballistic missile threat posed by North Korea.

The new Mission Center draws on experienced officers from across the Agency and integrates them in one entity to bring their expertise and creativity to bear against the North Korea target.

A veteran CIA operations officer has been selected as the new Assistant Director for Korea and presides over the Mission Center.  The new Mission Center will work closely with the Intelligence Community and the entire U.S. national security community.

“Creating the Korea Mission Center allows us to more purposefully integrate and direct CIA efforts against the serious threats to the United States and its allies emanating from North Korea,” said CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

“It also reflects the dynamism and agility that CIA brings to evolving national security challenges.”

CIA establishes special division to address North Korea threat

UPDATE — CIA Korea Mission Center’s head to resign next month (Nov 27 2018)

REFERENCES

CIA Establishes Korea Mission Center — CIA Official website

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CIA Establishes Korea Mission Center

CIA Establishes Korea Mission Center [UPDATE: Andrew Kim resigns]

Four Years Ago — CIA Establishes Korea Mission Center [UPDATE: Biden administration charting new course. Same objective but new policy.]