South Korea calls to avoid impact on US cooperation after 'sensitive' country designation

South Korea's acting President Choi Sang-mok called on Monday to avoid any negative impact on science, technology and energy cooperation with the United States, after the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) designated South Korea as a 'sensitive' country.

The U.S. department has not explained why South Korea was added to the list, which can cause curbs on cooperation, though a DOE spokesperson said Seoul faced no new limits on bilateral cooperation in science and technology from the designation.

In a statement relayed by the finance ministry after a ministerial meeting, Choi called on South Korean agencies to actively foster understanding with Washington, and for the industry minister to meet with the U.S. Secretary of Energy this week.


Despite the DOE assurances over bilateral cooperation not being impacted, politicians in Seoul have traded blame over the sensitive country designation.

The main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung on Monday criticised the current South Korean government, calling the U.S. move a "perfect diplomatic failure" which is feared could limit cooperation between the countries in the high-tech field.

Ruling party lawmaker Kwon Young-se, however, criticised the Democratic Party which controls parliament, for pushing anti-U.S. sentiment and excessively impeaching government officials including President Yoon Suk Yeol, a move that Kwon said was the biggest cause of the sensitive country designation.

According to the DOE's website, countries may appear on the sensitive country list for reasons such as national security, nuclear nonproliferation, regional instability, threats to national economic security, or terrorism support.