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CNN —China is making “significant progress” building the country’s fifth research facility in Antarctica after a several years-long lull in construction, according to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The site – a research station China has hailed as a means to expand its scientific investigation in the Antarctic – could also be used to enhance the country’s intelligence collection, according to CSIS. In February 2020, a team of US inspectors visited the station, where they were hosted by station leader Wang Zhechao of the Polar Research Institute of China. China has established four scientific research bases in Antarctica since 1984, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Under the 1959 treaty Antarctic Treaty, to which China is party, activities on the continent are restricted to “peaceful purposes.”Military personnel are allowed to conduct scientific research, but may not set up bases, test weapons of carry out maneuvers.

☆ China ramps up construction on new Antarctic station, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Michael Martina | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] A satellite view with overlays shows areas to be developed at the new Chinese station under construction, on Inexpressible Island, Antarctica, January 2, 2023. CSIS told Reuters that while the U.S. still maintains a larger research presence in Antarctica – including the biggest facility in its McMurdo station – China's footprint is growing faster. China's fifth station will be 200 miles (320 km) from the McMurdo station, it said. Under the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, to which China is party, activities on the continent are restricted to "peaceful purposes." A 2022 Pentagon report said China's new Antarctic infrastructure was likely intended in part to strengthen its future claims to natural resources and maritime access and improve PLA capabilities.

☆ China ramps up construction on new Antarctic station –report
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Michael Martina | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

☆ South Korea says leaked US intel document 'untrue' amid US spying allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Erin ScottSEOUL, April 11 (Reuters) - A senior South Korean security official said on Tuesday that information contained in purportedly leaked U.S. confidential documents that appeared to be based on internal discussions among top South Korean officials is "untrue" and "altered." But internally, top South Korean officials were worried that the U.S. would divert them to Ukraine. South Korea has said its law forbids supplying weapons to countries engaged in conflict, meaning it can't send arms to Ukraine. Earlier, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held phone talks with his South Korean counterpart on Tuesday and discussed recent media reports on the leak of confidential U.S. documents, South Korea's defence ministry said. During the phone conversation, which took place at the request of Austin, the Pentagon chief vowed to closely communicate and cooperate with South Korea on the issue, the ministry said.

☆ US searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Idrees Ali | Thomson Reuters | National Security Correspondent Focusing On The Pentagon In Washington D.C. Reports On U.S. Military Activity | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"The focus now is on this being a U.S. leak, as many of the documents were only in U.S. hands," Michael Mulroy, a former senior Pentagon official, told Reuters in an interview. Following disclosure of the leak, Reuters has reviewed more than 50 documents labeled "Secret" and "Top Secret" that first appeared last month on social media websites, beginning with Discord and 4Chan. One of the documents, dated Feb. 23 and marked "Secret," outlines in detail how Ukraine's S-300 air defense systems would be depleted by May 2 at the current usage rate. Such closely-guarded information could be of great use to Russian forces, and Ukraine said its president and top security officials met on Friday to discuss ways to prevent leaks. The U.S. Justice Department said on Friday it was in touch with the Defense Department and began a probe into the leak.

☆ South Korea to discuss 'issues raised' from leaked documents with US
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, April 9 (Reuters) - South Korea is aware of news reports about a leak of several classified U.S. military documents and it plans to discuss "issues raised" as a result of the leak with the United States, a South Korean presidential official said on Sunday. But internally, top South Korean officials were worried that the United States would divert them to Ukraine. The South Korean presidential official, speaking to reporters, declined to respond to questions about U.S. spying or to confirm any details from the leaked documents. South Korea has signed major deals providing hundreds of tanks, aircraft and other weapons to NATO member Poland since Russia invaded Ukraine. The South Korean official said there was no change to South Korea's policy.

☆ Chinese spy balloon gathered intelligence from sensitive U.S. military sites, despite U.S. efforts to block it
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Courtney Kube | Carol E. Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Chinese spy balloon that flew across the U.S. was able to gather intelligence from several sensitive American military sites, despite the Biden administration's efforts to block it from doing so, according to two current senior U.S. officials and one former senior administration official. The intelligence China collected was mostly from electronic signals, which can be picked up from weapons systems or include communications from base personnel, rather than images, the officials said. Officials have not said which company, department or organization the balloon belonged to, despite several requests for comment by NBC News. After the balloon was shot down in February, Biden administration officials said it was capable of collecting signals intelligence. The balloon first entered U.S. airspace over Alaska on Jan. 28, according to the Biden administration, which said it was tracking it as it moved.

☆ Mistakes by the US's top spies allowed China to turn a deadly mid-air collision into an intelligence coup
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( James Bamford | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +36 min

On April 1, 2001, a US EP-3 spy plane collided with a Chinese fighter jet over the South China Sea. One of eleven left in the fleet, the tired 1960s-era spy plane bristled with porcupine-like antennas. Within minutes, however, the fighters had reached the lumbering spy plane, and while Zhao Yu hung back about a half-mile, Wang Wei rapidly closed in. In severe trouble, he immediately radioed the base, telling them he was unable to maneuver and being sucked in by the spy plane. "You are not allowed aboard the aircraft," Osborn said.

☆ Japan says 3 balloons that floated into its airspace years ago are 'strongly presumed' to have been Chinese spy balloons
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( David Cenciotti | The Aviationist | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Three balloon-shaped flying objects were spotted in Japanese airspace in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Japan's Defense Ministry said Tuesday that they were "strongly presumed" to have been Chinese reconnaissance balloons. "If a balloon enters Japan's airspace without permission, it constitutes an infringement of Japan's airspace. Three additional unidentified objects, later appearing to have been much smaller commercial or research balloons, were also spotted and shot down. The Chinese balloon carried "multiple antennas" capable of collecting signals intelligence, a senior State Department official said, and the balloon maker has proven ties to the Chinese military, according to a CNBC report by Abigail Williams.

☆ Chinese spy balloon carried 'multiple antennas' for collecting signals intelligence, State Dept. says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Abigail Williams | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Chinese balloon that flew above the U.S. for eight days included "multiple antennas" capable of collecting signals intelligence, a senior State Department official said Thursday, and the balloon maker has proven ties to the Chinese military. While China condemned the U.S. for destroying what it said was a weather balloon, the State Department official described the balloon as carrying equipment designed to collect communications and threatened action against Beijing. Gen. Pat Ryder said that the U.S. has gathered extensive information about the Chinese surveillance balloons over time and will be able to detect them in the future. U.S. officials said previously that there were had been multiple Chinese balloon flights over American territory during the former Trump administration and another during the Biden administration. "What we do know is that in some cases, whereas some of these balloons previously had not been identified, subsequent analysis, subsequent intelligence analysis did enable us to indicate that these were Chinese balloons," Ryder said.

☆ China accuses the US of information 'warfare' as the Biden administration says Beijing's spy balloon program has targeted 40 countries
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

China has targeted more than 40 countries with its surveillance balloon program, the US said. China denied this and accused the US of waging information "warfare" on Beijing. "This is what we assess is part of a larger Chinese surveillance balloon program," Ryder said, adding, "This is a program that's operated for several years." Ryder said the purpose of the Chinese surveillance balloons was to study "strategic sites," including "strategic bases" in the continental US. Chinese officials have admitted the downed balloon belonged to China but said it was a weather balloon that blew off course.

☆ FBI investigating Chinese spy balloon, but much of the evidence is still under water
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

FBI Special Agents assigned to the Evidence Response Team process material recovered from the High Altitude Balloon recovered off the coast of South Carolina. "It's very early for us to assess what the intent was and how the device was operating," a senior FBI official told reporters in a briefing Thursday, according to NBC News. FBI Special Agents assigned to the Evidence Response Team process material recovered from the High Altitude Balloon recovered off the coast of South Carolina. A senior FBI official later Thursday said, "This is a large scale scene," according to NBC. An FBI Evidence Response Team Photographer captures images of recovered material.

Navy photo/Handout via REUTERSWASHINGTON, Feb 9 (Reuters) - The United States will explore taking action against entities connected to the Chinese military that supported the incursion by a Chinese spy balloon into U.S. airspace last week, a senior State Department official said on Thursday. Sherman also said the United States would continue to prevent China’s exploitation of U.S. technology to enable its own military modernization. China's foreign ministry has said it was a weather balloon that had blown off course and accused the United States of overreacting. The public spectacle of a Chinese balloon drifting slowly across the United States has brought into sharp focus the challenge posed by China to the United States and its allies. An Asia diplomat told Reuters there was a free flow of information about the balloon, with the United States passing on additional details to allies and partner as they became available.

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationWASHINGTON, Feb 3 (Reuters) - China's flight of a suspected surveillance balloon over the United States appears to mark a more aggressive - albeit puzzling - espionage tactic than relying on satellites and the theft of industrial and defense secrets, security experts said. Both the United States and China have for decades used surveillance satellites to keep an eye on each other from the air. The uproar over the balloon comes as China has been building up its military capabilities and challenging America's military presence in the Pacific. The United States also believes Beijing routinely seeks to capture proprietary information and knowledge from U.S. companies. It has previously rebuffed accusations of espionage and said the United States holds a Cold War mentality and hypes up the 'China threat.'

☆ 3 active-duty Marines who work in intelligence arrested over alleged participation in the January 6 riot
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Konstantin Toropin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Three Marines were arrested Wednesday in relation to the US Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. All three Marines work in jobs connected to the intelligence community. All three Marines, who were arrested more than two years after the attack, work in jobs connected to the intelligence community. Records provided by the Marine Corps show that among his awards was a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, an unusual and prestigious medal for a junior Marine. However, the men are not the only members of the intelligence community to be arrested for their alleged part in the siege.

☆ 2 little-known intel agencies are helping US partners keep an eye on Russia's and China's frontline forces
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Two little-known US intelligence agencies have made significant contributions to countering Russia in Ukraine. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the National Reconnaissance Office have gathered and distributed valuable information about Russian activity. Little-known intel agenciesA National Reconnaissance Office payload is launched into space from Vandenberg Air Force Base in September 2017. US Air Force/Senior Airman Ian DudleyThe US response to Russia's war in Ukraine has pulled the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the National Reconnaissance Office out of the shadows. NRO satellites have many customers, but the NGA is probably the most reliant on the satellites operated by the NRO.

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