US Labels South Korea as ‘Sensitive’ Country, Straining Diplomatic Ties

On March 15, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that South Korea was placed at the bottom level of the “Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List (SCL)” in January. This list encompasses countries seen as possible risks to U.S. national security or those facing significant political turmoil. Despite being a long-standing American ally, this marks the first time South Korea has appeared on this list. Being categorized under sensitive status implies that collaboration between the two nations might face limitations in critical sectors like classified military information exchange and cutting-edge technology development, which include fields such as nuclear power and AI.

“The previous Biden administration categorized South Korea as part of the lowest tier in the SCL during early January,” the Department of Energy stated in reply to questions from South Korean journalists. “While this classification doesn’t forbid technical collaboration between the United States and nations within the SCL, trips to these listed countries for such purposes would necessitate prior internal scrutiny,” the department further explained.

Up until last year, the SCL comprised 25 nations such as China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Syria, Israel, and Taiwan. As of April 15th, with South Korea being added, this count has increased to 26 countries. These listings generally stem from worries about national security threats, issues related to nuclear proliferation, and terrorist activities. However, the DOE hasn’t revealed the reasons behind adding South Korea to the list.

The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the government is treating the DOE’s decision very seriously and is maintaining close communication with pertinent U.S. organizations. They have committed themselves to engaging proactively in negotiations with the United States aimed at reducing any adverse effects on cooperative efforts between the two countries in fields related to energy and science. It was only after reports from domestic media highlighted that a DOE-affiliated research center identified South Korea as a sensitive nation that the foreign ministry became aware of this Special Country List (SCL) designation.

In the meantime, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s scheduled trip to South Korea later this month has been called off, presumably due to the current political unrest stemming from the martial law situation. President Yoon Suk-yeol and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo have both faced impeachment by the National Assembly and now await the judiciary’s verdict. Additionally, the role of defense minister is currently unoccupied. “We will make sure that there are no interruptions in the relationship between the United States and ROK at the beginning of the Biden administration,” stated the Ministry of National Defense.