Seoul: South Korea is continuing to "actively" engage in negotiations with the United States to resolve the issue of its placement on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List (SCL), 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.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the ministry stated that negotiations are ongoing, including working-level consultations at the director-general levels with the U.S. Department of Energy, alongside relevant ministries. The two sides have agreed to address the issue "promptly through due procedures." The ministry acknowledged that the process is subject to U.S. internal procedures and anticipated that more time would be necessary.
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 raised concerns about its potential impact on science and technology cooperation between the allies. Countries included on the list are subject to stricter scrutiny when requesting access to DOE research institutions or other facilities for technology cooperation or other purposes.
The ministry cited the DOE's reassurance that the designation "will not affect bilateral cooperation in ongoing or future research and development." Multiple sources in Washington indicated that Seoul has not been notified of any DOE decision to reverse the listing before the designation took effect this week, suggesting South Korea is now part of the SCL. The DOE did not respond to a request for comment.