Actor Hyun Bin named honorary officer by South Korea’s spy agency

SEOUL – Hyun Bin has been appointed an honorary counter-intelligence officer by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), the spy agency announced on April 7. This is to raise public awareness of the country’s expanded counter-espionage framework following recent legal changes.

The 43-year-old actor’s appointment comes after South Korea’s National Assembly revised the Criminal Act in February to broaden the scope of espionage offences.

Under the amendment, the law now covers espionage activities conducted not only by “enemy states”, but also by “foreign countries or equivalent organisations”, establishing a stronger legal basis to respond to foreign intelligence operations that threaten national security.

The NIS said the honorary role is intended to help change the public’s perception that counter-intelligence is solely about uncovering agents from North Korea.

South Korea and North Korea remain technically at war after the Korean War (1950 to 1953) ended with an armistice instead of a peace treaty.

NIS emphasised that counter-intelligence today encompasses detection, deterrence and disruption of any foreign information activities that could undermine South Korea’s security or national interests.

The agency pointed to a growing number of cases involving attempts to steal advanced technology and defence-industry secrets by foreign actors, calling counter-intelligence a “critical national survival task”.

Hyun Bin’s selection is also tied to his performance in the action thriller film The Point Men (2023).

He portrayed an NIS officer working alongside a diplomat, played by Hwang Jung-min, to rescue a group of South Koreans who were taken hostage in Afghanistan. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK