The office of President Yoon Suk Yeol has tentatively concluded that there is little chance of internal discussions having been intercepted by the US intelligence community, according to Yoon's aides.
They have stressed that the presidential office in central Seoul is equipped with a system to prevent such eavesdropping in the wake of news reports, based on purported Pentagon documents, that Washington secretly listened to conversations of top South Korean officials.
"Now that it's a security issue, we can't open (details of the security system) to the public. But the presidential office is prepared," a presidential official said.
Another official also emphasized, "It is impossible to eavesdrop on conversations inside the building (in Yongsan)."
At the time of the presidential office being relocated to Yongsan from Cheong Wa Dae, a "very strict standard of security" has been applied, the official added.
They also dismissed the possibility of discussions during a National Security Council session held at the underground bunker having been overheard.
They believe that a reported conversation early last month between Kim Sung-han, then director of national security, and Lee Moon-hee, then presidential secretary for foreign affairs, regarding Seoul's position on whether to supply ammunition to Ukraine was not made inside the presidential building, if ever.
Yoon's office maintains that it is a priority to verify the authenticity of the documents released online and figure out relevant details.
Kim also told officials that some of the relevant media reports are not true, an informed source said.
The US eavesdropping scandal has broken out less than three weeks ahead of Yoon's summit talks with President Joe Biden in the US capital.
Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo is scheduled to visit there later this week to meet with US officials for summit preparations. (Yonhap)
