Latest news with #SensitiveandOtherDesignated
Korea Herald
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
S. Korea says 'actively' in talks with US over 'sensitive country' issue after list apparently takes effect
South Korea is continuing to "actively" engage in negotiations with the United States to resolve the issue of its placement on the US Department of Energy's Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. The ministry issued the statement as the SCL appears to have come into force Tuesday. The DOE's inclusion of South Korea in the list's lowest category has emerged as a hot button issue in bilateral relations. "We have been actively engaging in negotiations, including working-level consultations at the director-general levels with the US Department of Energy, together with relevant ministries," the ministry said, recalling that the two sides have agreed to work out the issue "promptly through due procedures." "However, as this matter is proceeding in accordance with the US internal procedures, we expect that more time will be needed," it said. The DOE confirmed last month that the preceding Biden administration added South Korea to the SCL in early January -- a list that includes North Korea, China and Russia. The designation has stoked concern it could affect science and technology cooperation between the allies. The listed countries are subject to stricter scrutiny when access is requested to DOE research institutions or other facilities for technology cooperation or other purposes. The ministry cited the DOE reaffirming that the designation "will not affect bilateral cooperation in ongoing or future research and development." Multiple sources in Washington said Seoul has not been informed of any DOE decision to reverse the listing before the designation took effect this week, signaling South Korea is now included in the SCL. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
22-03-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
S. Korea, US launch working-level talks over 'sensitive country' issue
South Korea and the United States began working-level talks Friday to "swiftly" address the highly charged issue of South Korea's placement on the US Department of Energy's "Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List," Seoul's industry minister said. Ahn Duk-geun made the remarks, after he met with Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Thursday to discuss the matter and other issues amid concerns that the inclusion in the list could affect the two countries' science and technology cooperation. While in Washington this week, the minister also held talks with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, during which he renewed calls for the United States to give South Korea "favorable treatment" as the Trump administration plans to roll out "reciprocal" tariffs next month to match what its trading partners levy on U.S. exports. "(I) relayed our concerns (to Wright) over South Korea's inclusion on the DOE's SCL, and the two countries agreed to continue cooperation to swiftly address this issue in accordance with procedures," Ahn told reporters. "As a follow-up, we launched working-level consultations today." He pointed out the US' explanation that even if South Korea's designation goes into effect on April 15, it will not affect ongoing and future bilateral cooperation. The DOE confirmed last week that the preceding Biden administration added South Korea to the SCL in early January -- a list that includes North Korea, China and Russia. The designated countries are subject to stricter scrutiny when access is requested to DOE research institutions or other facilities for technology cooperation or other purposes. The designation has drawn keen public attention in Seoul as many Koreans viewed the juxtaposition of their country, a key treaty US ally, alongside North Korea, China and Russia in the SCL as a matter of trust in the long-standing alliance with the U.S. A senior Seoul official said that the US side has pointed to technology security concerns arising from the evolving technology landscape as a broad reason for the designation rather than offering specific reasons that triggered the designation decision. South Korea explained its plans for security reinforcements meant to address areas of US concern, according to the official who requested anonymity. "On this issue, the top officials of the ministry and department in charge have a clear agreement and understanding, and related procedures (to address it) are proceeding," the official said. During the talks with Lutnick, Ahn reiterated Seoul's hope that South Korean businesses will not face disadvantages as the US is working to introduce reciprocal tariffs. "While stressing the close connectedness (of the two countries) in efforts to foster the industrial ecosystem between the two countries in the cutting-edge technology sector, I repeated our request for favorable treatment when (the US) plans tariff measures down the road," he said. The Trump administration plans to introduce country-by-country reciprocal tariffs on April 2. The new tariffs will be customized based on trading partners' tariff- and non-tariff barriers as well as other factors, including exchange rates and what the US views as unfair trade practices. Meanwhile, Seoul and Washington agreed to seek the establishment of bilateral energy policy dialogue and a public-private energy forum to "accelerate the momentum" for cooperation, as they shared the view that the potential is great for cooperation in areas including liquefied natural gas, power grids, hydrogen energy and small modular reactors, according to Ahn. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
DOE lab contractor employee terminated after attempting to fly to Korea with reactor design software: report
A US Department of Energy laboratory contractor employee was terminated after attempting to board a flight to South Korea with export controlled information on nuclear reactor design software, a report showed Monday. Idaho National Laboratory terminated the person during the reporting period from Oct. 1, 2023 through March 31 last year, the DOE Office of the Inspector General's report to Congress said, as questions persist over why South Korea was placed in the lowest category of the DOE's "Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List" in early January. The information in question is proprietary nuclear reactor design software owned by INL. The OIG conducted a search of the employee's government email and chat history showing the employee's knowledge of export control restrictions and communications with a foreign government, according to the report. It did not elaborate on the content or nature of the communications between the employee and the foreign government. The case was being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, the report said. On Monday, Seoul's foreign ministry said that South Korea's placement on the SCL was because of security issues related to DOE-affiliated research institutions rather than a broad foreign policy decision. The US government is said to have told the ministry that South Korea's SCL inclusion was imposed due to violations of security regulations during South Korean researchers' visits to DOE laboratories or participation in joint research projects. Seoul views the case in the OIG report as a security regulation breach case, according to a source. On Friday, the DOE confirmed that it added South Korea to the lowest SCL category during the preceding Biden administration in early January. The designation is set to take effect April 15. The list involves a group of countries subject to stricter scrutiny when access is requested to DOE research institutions or other facilities for technology cooperation or other purposes. It includes North Korea, Russia and China. South Korea's Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun is set to visit Washington this week for talks with Energy Secretary Chris Wright as Seoul seeks to find a way to reverse South Korea's placement in the list before it takes effect next month. (Yonhap)
Asharq Al-Awsat
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
US Designated South Korea a 'Sensitive' Country amid Nuclear Concerns
The US Department of Energy has designated ally South Korea a "sensitive" country, a spokesperson said on Friday, after the South Korean president briefly imposed martial law and amid talk of Seoul potentially developing nuclear weapons. The administration of then-President Joe Biden put South Korea on the lowest tier of the Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List in January shortly before Biden left office, the DOE said in a written response to Reuters queries. The department did not explain why the Asian nation was added to the list and did not indicate that President Donald Trump was inclined to reverse the measure. The spokesperson said Seoul faces no new restrictions on bilateral cooperation in science and technology. The designation will go into effect on April 15, media reports said, according to Reuters. South Korea's foreign ministry said the government was taking the matter seriously and in close communication with Washington. "We will actively negotiate to ensure that there is no negative impact on energy, science and technology cooperation between South Korea and the United States," the ministry said in a statement. The DOE list of sensitive countries includes China, Taiwan, Israel, Russia, Iran and North Korea, with Tehran and Pyongyang designated as "terrorist", according to a 2017 document posted on the department's website. President Yoon Suk Yeol and then-Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun are among officials who raised the prospect that Seoul would be forced to pursue nuclear weapons amid fears over Pyongyang's weapons program and concerns about the US alliance. Yoon and Kim have been indicted on charges of insurrection over Yoon's six-hour declaration of martial law in December. Yoon was impeached and his presidential powers suspended while a court decides whether to remove him from office. Yoon backed off rhetoric about a nuclear weapons program after negotiating with Biden a 2023 agreement under which Washington is to give Seoul more insight into US planning to deter and respond to a nuclear incident in the region. In return, Seoul renewed a pledge not to pursue a nuclear bomb of its own and said it would abide by the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, which it has signed. That, however, has not been enough to ease doubts over US defense commitments that have fueled calls for a South Korean nuclear arsenal. Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said last month that nuclear weapons were not "off the table", though it was premature to talk about such a plan. "Given that international situations are developing in unpredictable directions, this is a principled response that we must prepare for all possible scenarios," Cho told a parliamentary hearing. Daryl Kimball, executive director of the nonprofit Arms Control Association, said that in light of such "provocative" statements, South Korea is a proliferation risk and the DOE was prudent to put the country on its list. "Listing the ROK as a proliferation-sensitive country should rule out any chance of a South Korean request for US approval to enrich uranium and reprocessing spent fuel... to produce nuclear weapons," Kimball said, citing the country's formal name, the Republic of Korea. The handling of the designation raised concerns in Seoul. Cho told parliament on Tuesday that his ministry had had no formal communication from the Biden administration and only heard about the possible designation from an informal tip-off. Countries may appear on the Energy Department's list for reasons of national security, nuclear nonproliferation or support for terrorism, though inclusion does not necessarily indicate an adversarial relationship with the United States. "Currently there are no new restrictions on bilateral science and technology cooperation with the ROK," the DOE said. "The Energy Department looks forward to collaborating with the ROK to advance our mutual interests." Though the designation does not prohibit scientific or technical cooperation, visits to the listed countries and cooperation undergo an internal review beforehand, the department said.
South China Morning Post
15-03-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
South Korea designated by US as ‘sensitive' country amid nuclear bomb talk
The US Department of Energy has designated ally South Korea a 'sensitive' country, a spokesperson said on Friday, after the South Korean president briefly imposed martial law and amid talk of Seoul potentially developing nuclear weapons. Advertisement The administration of then-President Joe Biden put South Korea on the lowest tier of the Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List in January shortly before Biden left office, the DOE said in a written response to queries. The department did not explain why the Asian nation was added to the list and did not indicate that President Donald Trump was inclined to reverse the measure. The spokesperson said Seoul faced no new restrictions on bilateral cooperation in science and technology. The designation would go into effect on April 15, media reports said. South Korea's foreign ministry said the government was taking the matter seriously and in close communication with Washington. Advertisement 'We will actively negotiate to ensure that there is no negative impact on energy, science and technology cooperation between South Korea and the United States,' the ministry said in a statement.
