South Korea faces accusation of economic espionage as the Federal Court of Australia releases previously suppressed information claiming that South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) is guilty of trying to "cultivate Australian officials and public servants to obtain sensitive information" on the two countries' trade negotiations.

This was reported by Australia's leading media company Fairfax who added that the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) had also alleged that a South Korean senior agricultural trade specialist, Dr. Yeon Kim, was involved in "foreign interference" by Korean spies.

It was in 2010 when the ASIO learnt that there had been meetings between Dr. Kim and a South Korean diplomat who was made known to the Australian government as a liaison officer of the NIS. The ASIO interviewed Dr. Kim in October of that year.

Months after the interview, an adverse assessment of Dr. Kim was issued by ASIO director-general David Irvine stating that the South Korean violated Australian government policy by not reporting to Australian authorities his successive meetings with the NIS officers.

Dr. Kim has since lost his job with the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences for reportedly leaking sensitive business information.

One of Dr. Kim's major works was the ABARES study on the Korean beef market, a trade study which he principally authored. He also participated in Australia-South Korea third round free trade negotiations in the latter part of 2009.

Meanwhile, Fairfax also reported that in its desire to keep friendly relations with South Korea, the ASIO tried legal means to keep the incident private and away from public scrutiny to protect the welfare and identities of the Korean agents.

Despite the ASIO describing the action as "inappropriate activities," no South Korean spies have been expelled.