March 17, 2025
SEOUL – The US Department of Energy’s decision to list South Korea as a “sensitive country” has belatedly been confirmed, sparking controversy about the Korean government’s diplomatic failure and concerns about repercussions for bilateral US cooperation in the science and technology sector.
The US Department of Energy put South Korea in the lowest category of its “sensitive and other designated countries list” (SCL) in early January under the Biden administration, Yonhap News Agency reported Saturday, citing an interview with the DOE spokesperson.
The SCL refers to a group of countries to which “particular consideration is given for policy reasons during the DOE internal review and approval process for access by foreign nationals,” according to the DOE website. The list includes North Korea, China and Russia.
Amid concerns over the negative impact of the designation, a DOE spokesperson was quoted by Yonhap as saying that “there are no new restrictions on bilateral science and technology cooperation” between South Korea and the US, adding the US department looks forward to collaborating with South Korea to advance mutual interests.
The DOE spokesperson said that inclusion on the list “does not necessarily indicate an adversarial relationship with the United States” and it does not prohibit scientific or technical cooperation.
However, inclusion on the SCL means that the visit of researchers and cooperation undergo “an internal review beforehand,” the spokesperson said, confirming that researchers from countries on the list have to go through more stringent scrutiny when visiting research facilities or taking part in projects involving the US department.
Experts in Seoul expressed worries that, when the designation goes into effect April 15 and extra scrutiny is added, South Korean researchers will face difficulties working together with US counterparts on advanced technologies due to the extended approval period for participation in DOE programs or visits to related facilities.
In particular, South Korea’s development of export-oriented research reactors, along with key nuclear technologies such as pyroprocessing — a method for recycling spent nuclear fuel — relies heavily on cooperation with the US Department of Energy. As a result, any disruption in nuclear cooperation between the two nations could deal a potentially significant blow to these critical advancements.
The US Department of Energy, which oversees 17 national laboratories, conducts cutting-edge research in fields such as artificial intelligence, nuclear energy and quantum technology, making it one of South Korea’s key partners in scientific and technological collaboration.
The confirmation about the SCL designation came after Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday at a press briefing that the DOE’s sensitive country list had not yet been finalized, and that the ministry was consulting with US agencies over the issue.
The Foreign Ministry was caught off guard by the Saturday report, as its earlier briefing revealed the failure to properly communicate with the US department in the early stages regarding Korea’s placement on the sensitive country list.
The South Korean government’s major diplomatic lapse came at a time when the country needs to strengthen ties with the Trump administration in nuclear energy and other sectors.
The precise reason the Biden administration made the decision to put South Korea on the SCL in early January is unknown.
One major speculation is that the DOE and Washington were concerned over the push of President Yoon Suk Yeol and others in Seoul for nuclear armament, amid fears over North Korea’s weapons program.
Another speculation is that the DOE’s decision was in response to Yoon’s botched Dec. 3 martial law declaration just a few weeks before, and resulting political turmoil.
Before the SCL goes into effect on April 15, the South Korean government must use all diplomatic resources available to identify the exact reason behind the listing, and contact US counterparts to change the DOE’s move over Korea’s placement on the list that could hamper bilateral cooperation in science and technology.