Rival parties play blame game after U.S. places South Korea on nuclear 'sensitive' country list

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Rival parties play blame game after U.S. places South Korea on nuclear 'sensitive' country list

Published: 16 Mar. 2025, 18:16 Updated: 16 Mar. 2025, 19:52

SEO JI-EUN
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Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, talks with U.S. President Joe Biden after attending the seventh replenishment conference of the Geneva-based Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in New York on Sept. 21, 2022. [YONHAP]

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Rival parties blamed each other after the United States officially confirmed that it added its ally South Korea to its "sensitive" country list in early January under the previous Joe Biden administration. The move raised concerns over potential risks to bilateral energy and science cooperation, as well as to the broader alliance.

A spokesperson from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) confirmed Saturday that South Korea was classified under the "Other Designated Country" category, the lowest tier within the sensitive country list, in early January, in response to media inquiries.

Screenshot of the U.S. Department of Energy website displaying the Sensitive Country List [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The sensitive country list categorizes nations that require special consideration for reasons such as U.S. national security concerns, nuclear nonproliferation or support for terrorism, with countries like North Korea, Iran, Syria, China and Russia included on the list.

The DOE clarified that being on the list “does not necessarily indicate an adversarial relationship with the United States” and does not outright "prohibit scientific or technical cooperation."

“Inclusion on the sensitive country list does not prohibit Americans or DOE personnel from visiting or doing business with listed countries, just as it doesn't prevent foreign nationals from visiting DOE sites,” the spokesperson said.

However, all visits and collaborations are now subject to "internal review beforehand," the spokesperson added.

While the designation does not ban collaboration, it is believed to introduce bureaucratic hurdles for South Korean researchers working with DOE-affiliated institutions. Experts warn that restrictions could impact sensitive fields like nuclear technology and AI, potentially slowing technological exchanges between the two allies.

South Korean Minister of Science and ICT Yoo Sang-im downplayed the concerns in a televised interview on KBS on Sunday.

“Currently, we have around 12 billion won ($8.25 million) worth of ongoing global joint research between our research institutes and those under the DOE," Yoo said. "The designation does not cancel existing projects, but it introduces inconveniences, such as requiring [our researchers] to report their activities 45 days in advance.”

Although the DOE's decision was made under the Biden administration, some experts worry that it could strain the Seoul-Washington alliance, especially under current U.S. President Donald Trump, known for his "transactional" approach to foreign partnerships.

The Biden administration did not provide a clear rationale for South Korea’s inclusion.

Some believe that the U.S. decision was influenced by political instability in South Korea following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol by the National Assembly in December 2024 over his alleged attempt to declare martial law.

“Last winter, our political situation was extremely unstable," Yoon's conservative People Power Party's (PPP) former leader, Han Dong-hoon, wrote in a social media post on Saturday. "One of the reasons I acted swiftly to prevent martial law was to avoid international repercussions like this. This is why politics need to be stabilized as soon as possible."

Another theory points to ongoing intellectual property conflicts between South Korean companies Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and its parent company, Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco), and U.S. nuclear firm Westinghouse Electric Company.

Westinghouse filed a lawsuit in late 2022 against the Korean companies, claiming that their reactor design incorporates technology originally licensed from Westinghouse and thus cannot be exported to third countries without its admission. Although the dispute was resolved on Jan. 17, South Korea’s sensitive country list designation was made just before that, leading to speculation about a connection.

Some experts believe South Korea’s rising discussions on nuclear armament contributed to its sensitive country list classification.

The DOE, which oversees nonproliferation policy, previously listed countries such as Israel, India and Pakistan — de facto nuclear states — on the sensitive country list.

Officials under the Yoon administration openly called for South Korea — a signatory of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and benefits from U.S. extended nuclear deterrence — to build a nuclear arsenal of its own, alarming the international community.

Yoon, during a policy briefing on Jan. 11, 2023, said that South Korea could consider acquiring its own nuclear weapons if "North Korean provocations continued intensifying." The Biden administration swiftly responded by reaffirming that denuclearization remains a core principle of the South Korea-U.S. alliance.

The debate over South Korea’s independent nuclear armament reintensified following a military pact signed between North Korea and Russia in June 2024.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said that South Korea’s nuclear armament is "not off the table" during a parliamentary session on Feb. 26, signaling that the government is not ruling out the possibility entirely.

The PPP has been at the forefront of these discussions.

In November 2024, PPP Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon introduced a resolution urging the government to actively consider nuclear armament as a strategic option. Several high-profile politicians, including Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, both seen as potential presidential candidates, also voiced support for nuclear capability. PPP Rep. Na Kyung-won, a longtime advocate for independent nuclear deterrence, reinforced her stance, saying Korea "must begin preparations" for its nuclear armament on March 3.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul speaks during a parliamentary session in Seoul on March 11. [NEWS1]

However, the South Korean government only learned of its inclusion on the sensitive country list belatedly after a media report about DOE's possible designation first emerged last week.

Cho admitted on March 11 that the government became aware of the decision through "unofficial channels" and is still investigating the matter. Critics argue that this reflects a failure in diplomatic coordination between Seoul and Washington.

With the designation reportedly set to take effect on April 15, South Korean officials are scrambling to persuade the United States to "rectify" the decision. Diplomatic efforts are expected to emphasize South Korea’s strategic importance to U.S. energy and security policy.

Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun is scheduled to visit the United States this week for a pre-arranged meeting with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

Kwon Young-se, left, chief of the ruling People Power Party's emergency leadership committee, and Lee Jae-myung, leader of the liberal Democratic Party [NEWS1]

The sensitive country list designation also sparked political debate in South Korea.

The PPP blamed the opposition Democratic Party (DP) for disrupting foreign policy efforts through its series of impeachments, while the DP argued that Yoon’s reckless remarks about nuclear armament and his declaration of martial law led to South Korea’s classification.

“The DP must take responsibility for the national chaos caused by its politically-motivated impeachment efforts." PPP’s spokesperson Kim Dai-sik said in a commentary Sunday. "The result of paralyzing key national institutions and administration without a legal basis led to confusion in state administration and weakening government responsiveness."

Former Foreign Affairs Committee chairman and PPP Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun added that the United States may have concerns about "potential leaks" of advanced technology such as AI and ship technology to "countries like China if the opposition gains power."

Conversely, DP spokesperson Kim Seong-hoe criticized Yoon’s administration.

“This dangerous government that not only incites internal unrest but also undermines our alliance with the United States must be expelled as soon as possible,” Kim said.

Kim pointed to Yoon as a "dim-witted man who forgot the weight of the presidency and went to the United States to talk about nuclear armament."

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]