The government said it gravely views the U.S. Department of Energy's confirmed inclusion of South Korea on its sensitive and other designated countries list(SCL) and is closely consulting with related U.S. government agencies.

An official at Seoul's foreign ministry said on Saturday that the ministry intends to actively negotiate to prevent any adverse impact on the allies' cooperation in energy and science and technology.

On Friday, the department spokesperson said the previous Biden administration added the country to the lowest category on the list in early January.

While the ministry may face criticism for failing to swiftly respond to the inclusion, the official said related information appears to have been limited within the department and that Seoul closely consulted with the U.S. side upon learning about it.

The official, however, did not specify exactly when Seoul became aware of the inclusion, saying it learned through an unofficial channel before local media reports surfaced on Monday.

The official said Seoul plans to actively seek a revision to the list and ensure that the bilateral science, technology and energy cooperation are not affected.