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Acting President Seeking to Minimize Impact of US ‘Sensitive Country’ Designation

Written: 2025-03-17 12:06:24Updated: 2025-03-17 15:18:35

Acting President Seeking to Minimize Impact of US ‘Sensitive Country’ Designation

Photo : YONHAP News

In the aftermath of the revelation that South Korea was added to the U.S. Energy Department’s “sensitive country” list in January, acting President Choi Sang-mok is working to mitigate the impact. 

While presiding over a meeting with economy-related ministers on Monday, Choi instructed relevant organizations to actively engage with the U.S. to ensure that South Korea’s presence on the list does not negatively impact bilateral cooperation in science, technology or energy.

The acting president ordered trade, industry and energy minister Ahn Duk-geun to meet with the U.S. energy secretary this week to discuss the matter.

Choi also discussed top trade official Cheong In-kyo’s recent visit to the U.S., during which Cheong met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and heard his views on unfair trade practices.

The acting president said the government needs to monitor and assess U.S. actions through various channels and actively communicate its efforts to address U.S. trade concerns.

He called on all related ministries to work together to formulate strategies for local industries affected by U.S. reciprocal tariffs.

“Sensitive countries” are nations that pose potential threats to U.S. national security or require special policy considerations, and may be designated as such for reasons such as nuclear nonproliferation and regional instability. 

Among the countries on the U.S. list, South Korea is in the least sensitive category alongside Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine.

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