CIA Opens South Korea Mission Center to Address DPRK Threat

The US Central intelligence Agency announced establishment of a mission center in South Korea, which will harness the full resources, capabilities of the US intelligence services in a stated aim of countering threat posed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The CIA has launched a new Korea Mission Center to counter nuclear and ballistic missile threats posed by Pyongyang, the agency announced in a statement on Wednesday.

"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 statement said.

The CIA has appointed a veteran operations officer to serve as assistant director for Korea and oversee the operations at the new mission center, the statement said.

"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 said, according to the statement.

Pompeo made an unannounced visit to South Korea earlier this month for talks on the Pyongyang threat.

North Korea has carried out a number of nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches, prompting the United States to send carrier strike groups, start the deployment of the THAAD defense system in South Korea and threaten military action against Pyongyang.

The most recent missile test allegedly took place in May. Japan, South Korea and the United States said the test appeared to have failed as the missile broke up in flight within North Korean territory.