South Korea and the United States have agreed to promptly resolve concerns surrounding Washington’s designation of Seoul on its “sensitive countries list,” according to South Korea’s Ministry of Industry on Friday.
South Korean Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun and US Energy Secretary Chris Wright discussed the issue during their first official meeting held Thursday in Washington. Minister Ahn conveyed Seoul’s concerns regarding the designation, which placed South Korea in the lowest tier of the Department of Energy’s list of sensitive countries as of January this year.
The classification has raised concerns in Seoul, particularly over potential negative impacts on future bilateral research and technology collaboration. The designation is set to officially take effect on April 15.
During the meeting, both sides agreed to cooperate closely, aiming to swiftly follow necessary procedures and resolve the matter, though no specific details were disclosed.
Seoul previously clarified that the designation was related to security concerns involving a specific research institute under the US Department of Energy, and was not connected to broader diplomatic issues. The US also assured South Korea that this measure would not significantly affect ongoing technological cooperation between the two allies.
Aside from addressing the “sensitive country” classification, the two nations pledged to strengthen their cooperation in the energy sector, particularly in liquefied natural gas (LNG), hydrogen technologies, power grid infrastructure, and small modular reactors (SMRs). They also agreed to establish regular policy consultations and joint energy forums.
“This visit confirmed both countries’ commitment to resolving the sensitive country issue and provided an opportunity to strengthen momentum for US-South Korea energy cooperation,” Minister Ahn said. He also emphasized Seoul’s intention to expand joint projects and investments in alignment with US energy policies.
Meanwhile, Minister Ahn will hold additional meetings with senior US officials, including US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, to address concerns over impending reciprocal tariffs scheduled to take effect on April 2. Despite the existing Korea-US free trade agreement, South Korea remains concerned it may not be exempt from the new tariffs.
Speaking to reporters upon his arrival in Washington, Minister Ahn stated, “There are virtually no tariffs under the Korea-US FTA, but certain nontariff issues have arisen, and we’re swiftly addressing these domestically.” He added that he would use this opportunity to further discuss and resolve any outstanding issues of concern with US counterparts during his visit.
