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The director said Monday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would not easily give up his nuclear weapons, viewing them as a crucial lever to preserve his government.
In rare public remarks, Gina Haspel, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, said North Korea had spent decades building its arms program and the Pyongyang government said it was "essential to survival of their diet ".
Haspel's remarks echo the skepticism of the former CAI officers, who would be convinced that North Korea would be reluctant to give up arms in the negotiations with the United States.
The Trump administration has begun high-level talks to get Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons. President Trump had a summit with Kim in Singapore in June and has since attempted to reduce tensions with North Korea.
Trump is expected to discuss his administration's negotiations during his work at the United Nations this week.
Ms. Haspel was careful to say that the dialogue initiated by Mr. Trump had improved the situation with North Korea. She said Kim wanted to improve his country's economic situation and that the IAC is working to support Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Haspel's predecessor as head of the agency.
"I think sitting here today in 2018 is in a better situation than in 2017 because of the dialogue we have established between our leaders, President and President Kim Jong-un," said Ms. Haspel. during a speech at the meeting. McConnell Center of the University of Louisville.
Unsurprisingly, Ms. Haspel was cautious in her remarks about the President, keeping her comments apolitical, but supporting the priorities set by the administration.
Former CIA Officers said Trump's attacks on former intelligence officials, including John O. Brennan, the former director of the agency, had threatened to politicize the apolitical work of collecting and investigating. analysis.
Ms. Haspel was not directly questioned about Mr. Trump's attacks, but asked a question about the morale of the agency. She said that morale at the agency was constant.
"C.I.A. is a resilient workforce and we tend to be very mission-oriented, "she said. "We tend not to pay attention to the political melee in the capital. We are very focused on events abroad.
Ms. Haspel used her remarks to describe her priorities at the agency, including enhancing diversity among the ranks of CIA officers, investing more in bridging intelligence gaps – particularly for Potential opponents of nation-states by installing more agents abroad and investing more in language training.
She also said the IAC was trying to do more on overseas drug enforcement efforts, adding that drugs had killed more people than terrorists.
In a question-and-answer session, Ms. Haspel asked about recent movies she had seen ("Red Sparrow", a Russian intelligence agent and the CIA), her favorite books ("Hillbilly Elegy") , preferred the songs of Johnny Cash ("Ring of Fire" and "I Walk the Line") and Kentucky whiskey. (She dodged this one, but said that she had recently given a bottle of Woodford Reserve to a visitor from C.I.A.)
On more serious topics, she spoke of China's efforts to spread influence outside Asia and the Iranian economy. But her remarks about North Korea were probably the most revealing, as she recounted Kim's efforts to build his nuclear arsenal.
Ms. Haspel's remarks reflect the strong belief within the Langley C.I.A. headquarters that it will be difficult to bring North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons.
Current and former intelligence analysts are skeptical of claims of radical change in North Korean politics or diplomatic breakthroughs.
Bruce Klingner, a Korean analyst at the Heritage Foundation and a former C.I.A. officer, said intelligence analysts are constantly looking for new data that would lead to a review of the analysis.
But analysts' skepticism comes from the failure of previous diplomatic attempts to solve the North Korean problem, Klingner said.
"Korea's observers tend to be a cynical and skeptical group after decades of observing previous efforts," he said. "North Koreans have very clearly articulated their long-standing positions. Some say these are bargaining tactics. But look at what Kim Jong-un said, "We will never give up the sword of nuclear weapons."
