This paper examines the interactional use of the Korean connective nuntey in spontaneous conversational discourse in the framework of conversation analysis. Nuntey has mainly been discussed as a clause connector, linking a subordinate nuntey-clause to a main clause. As such it has been glossed as 'and', 'but', 'so', or 'given that'. Using conversation analysis, this study reveals that nuntey-clauses often occur without main clauses in actual conversations and presents an analysis of this type of use: nuntey in these types of clauses provides background information as well as setting up an 'accountability-relevance point'. In this way, nuntey-clauses without main clauses can frame interactionally delicate actions such as requests, disagreements and denials and allow the speakers to avoid explicitly stating their intentions - a characteristic which is highly valued in Korean conversation. The speaker can thus avoid saying the bottom-line and achieve 'being indirect'. Also, nuntey-clauses function as a 'telling-my-side' device. That is, with nuntey-clauses, the speaker provides what s/he found out, saw, or heard from his/her side as circumstantial and evidential ground to be shared and invites the interlocutor to infer the speaker's intention.