Stephen Jin-Woo Kim
Encyclopedia
Stephen Jin-Woo Kim is a Senior Analyst at the Office of National Security at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory with a distinguished career in academia and government service. He lives in McLean
, Virginia. The government charged him under the Espionage Act for allegedly disclosing to a reporter that North Korea might test a bomb; his defenders argue that such disclosure is both harmless and commonplace in Washington, and that the charge against him is excessive and unprecedented.
, Korea. His family moved to the New York in 1976. He attended Fordham Preparatory, a Jesuit school. For college he went to Georgetown University
's School of Foreign Service (1989). He tried out Wall Street but found the work did not suit him. He then to Harvard for a Masters degree in National Security (1992), and then to Yale
for a PhD in Diplomatic and Military History (1999). He then wrote a book based on his dissertation. He has also extensively studied philosophy and literature.
He then went to work at the Center for Naval Analyses
, where he analyzed US operations in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. After 9/11, he went to work at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
where he analyzed North Korea
. He briefed the Defense Policy Board on his work, as well as Kissinger
, Hadley
, and Cheney
. He also worked at the Office of Net Assessment
under the Secretary of Defense where he analyzed Chinese nuclear issues.
In 2008, he went to work as a contractor at the State Department at the Verification, Compliance, and Implementation Bureau. There he was Senior Advisor for Intelligence to the Assistant Secretary of State. He studied North Korea's nuclear program, especially it's claims about whether it was dismantling it's equipment. He also participated in nuclear war games at the US Naval War College.
In June 2009, Kim allegedly had a conversation with reporter James Rosen of Fox News about North Korea
planning a nuclear bomb test.
In August 2010, Kim was indicted by a grand jury
on two charges:
The government alleges that Kim's conversation with Rosen contained information related to the 'national defense'; (793(d) does not use the word 'classified'). The alleged false statements to the FBI occurred in September 2009, regarding whether or not Kim had any contact with Rosen (whom he allegedly met around March 2009). Kim has pled not guilty. Rosen and Fox are not named in the indictment (they are listed as a 'news organization' and 'reporter') but news reports have identified the parties.
He is being defended by Abbe Lowell, Paul Thompson and James Commons. One of Lowell's arguments is that Bob Woodward
's book Obama's Wars
contains far more sensitive information than the information Kim is accused of leaking, thus creating a double standard in leak prosecution. Lowell also said that the DOJ is "stretch[ing] the espionage laws" and having a chilling effect
on government officials communicating with the press. He also said that Kim would never do anything "for which he had any reason to believe would harm[US interests] ".
The indictment is part of the Obama administration's unusually aggressive crackdown on leaks and whistleblowers. The use of the Espionage Act has historically been extremely rare in such cases.
McLean
MacLean, McClean, or McLean can refer to:- Places :Australia* Maclean, New South Wales* Maclean Island, TasmaniaCanada* McLean Island , Nunavut* McLean, SaskatchewanUnited States of America...
, Virginia. The government charged him under the Espionage Act for allegedly disclosing to a reporter that North Korea might test a bomb; his defenders argue that such disclosure is both harmless and commonplace in Washington, and that the charge against him is excessive and unprecedented.
Biography
He was born in 1967 in SeoulSeoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, Korea. His family moved to the New York in 1976. He attended Fordham Preparatory, a Jesuit school. For college he went to Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
's School of Foreign Service (1989). He tried out Wall Street but found the work did not suit him. He then to Harvard for a Masters degree in National Security (1992), and then to Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
for a PhD in Diplomatic and Military History (1999). He then wrote a book based on his dissertation. He has also extensively studied philosophy and literature.
He then went to work at the Center for Naval Analyses
Center for Naval Analyses
CNA's Center for Naval Analyses is a federally funded research and development center for the Navy and the Marine Corps. It also provides research and analysis services to other military and government agencies to help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of U.S...
, where he analyzed US operations in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. After 9/11, he went to work at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory , just outside Livermore, California, is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center founded by the University of California in 1952...
where he analyzed North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
. He briefed the Defense Policy Board on his work, as well as Kissinger
Henry Kissinger
Heinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...
, Hadley
Stephen Hadley
Stephen John Hadley was the 21st U.S. Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs , serving under President George W. Bush....
, and Cheney
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
. He also worked at the Office of Net Assessment
Office of Net Assessment
The United States Department of Defense's Office of Net Assessment was created in 1973. The Director of Net Assessment is the principal staff assistant and advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense on net assessment matters...
under the Secretary of Defense where he analyzed Chinese nuclear issues.
In 2008, he went to work as a contractor at the State Department at the Verification, Compliance, and Implementation Bureau. There he was Senior Advisor for Intelligence to the Assistant Secretary of State. He studied North Korea's nuclear program, especially it's claims about whether it was dismantling it's equipment. He also participated in nuclear war games at the US Naval War College.
James Rosen and Fox News
main article: United States v. Stephen KimIn June 2009, Kim allegedly had a conversation with reporter James Rosen of Fox News about North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
planning a nuclear bomb test.
In August 2010, Kim was indicted by a grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
on two charges:
- Unauthorized Disclosure of National Defense Information (the Espionage Act)
- making False Statements
The government alleges that Kim's conversation with Rosen contained information related to the 'national defense'; (793(d) does not use the word 'classified'). The alleged false statements to the FBI occurred in September 2009, regarding whether or not Kim had any contact with Rosen (whom he allegedly met around March 2009). Kim has pled not guilty. Rosen and Fox are not named in the indictment (they are listed as a 'news organization' and 'reporter') but news reports have identified the parties.
He is being defended by Abbe Lowell, Paul Thompson and James Commons. One of Lowell's arguments is that Bob Woodward
Bob Woodward
Robert Upshur Woodward is an American investigative journalist and non-fiction author. He has worked for The Washington Post since 1971 as a reporter, and is currently an associate editor of the Post....
's book Obama's Wars
Obama's Wars
Obama's Wars is a 2010 book written by Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Bob Woodward. The book was published by Simon & Schuster and released on September 27, 2010. It focuses on the internal debates and divisions within the Obama administration regarding the handling of the United...
contains far more sensitive information than the information Kim is accused of leaking, thus creating a double standard in leak prosecution. Lowell also said that the DOJ is "stretch[ing] the espionage laws" and having a chilling effect
Chilling effect
In a legal context, a chilling effect is the term used to describe the inhibition or discouragement of the legitimate exercise of a constitutional right by the threat of legal sanction. The right that is most often described as being supressed by a chilling effect is the right to free speech...
on government officials communicating with the press. He also said that Kim would never do anything "for which he had any reason to believe would harm
The indictment is part of the Obama administration's unusually aggressive crackdown on leaks and whistleblowers. The use of the Espionage Act has historically been extremely rare in such cases.
See also
- Thomas Andrews DrakeThomas Andrews DrakeThomas Andrews Drake is a former senior official of the U.S. National Security Agency , decorated United States Air Force and United States Navy veteran, computer software expert, linguist, management and leadership specialist, and whistleblower. In 2010 the government alleged that he 'mishandled'...
(NSA whistleblowerWhistleblowerA whistleblower is a person who tells the public or someone in authority about alleged dishonest or illegal activities occurring in a government department, a public or private organization, or a company...
charged under the Espionage Act, 2010) - Jeffrey Alexander SterlingJeffrey Alexander SterlingJeffrey Alexander Sterling is a former CIA employee, who was indicted and subsequently arrested under the Espionage Act for allegedly revealing details about Operation Merlin to journalist James Risen.-Education:...
(charged under Espionage Act for alleged communication with a reporter, 2010) - Chilling EffectChilling effectIn a legal context, a chilling effect is the term used to describe the inhibition or discouragement of the legitimate exercise of a constitutional right by the threat of legal sanction. The right that is most often described as being supressed by a chilling effect is the right to free speech...
External links
- stephenkim.org, legal defense trust website.
- US vs Kim court filings at cryptome.org