https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hankyoreh

In line with the newspaper's nationalism and aspirations for reunification, its reporting of inter-Korean and East Asian affairs is based on its editorial policy seeking reconciliation, stability and peaceful co-prosperity through dialogue rather than pressure on the government of North Korea.

This newspaper has a hard on for downplaying north Korean aggression. They want to all be friends.

I read OPs article twice, and i can't find any mention of any south Korean intelligence agents specifically. Are these anonymous sources? Is the whole thing made up? Where's the direct quotes? There's a whole lot of hand waving and nothing really of substance in this article.

The authors position really starts to be apparent when you start looking at the rest of their reporting on the same website. You can also see how the author IS fully capable of providing quotes and sources, just I guess not on this latest article.

https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1163962.html

https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1162683.html

There's just a few examples. This author makes every possible attempt to downplay North Korean aggression, blaming it on SK or the US every time.