South Korea's Surprising Inclusion on U.S. Sensitive Country List

South Korea has been added to the U.S. Department of Energy's list of sensitive countries due to mishandled sensitive information. The designation is largely due to incidents involving South Korean visitors at U.S. labs. The listing is sparking debate, and discussions are underway to remove South Korea from the list.

The U.S. Department of Energy has placed South Korea on a list of 'sensitive' countries after sensitive information mishandling incidents at U.S. labs. This was confirmed by Acting U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, Joseph Yun, who stated the designation is limited to department facilities.

South Korea's leadership, including Acting President Choi Sang-mok, is addressing the issue, and Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun plans to discuss the matter with the U.S. Energy Secretary. Despite the designation, Yun insists it doesn't affect broader U.S.-South Korea cooperation.

The previous Biden administration decided the listing, grouping U.S.-allied South Korea with nations like China and Iran. The decision, which has sparked debate in Seoul, relates to security matters at a research center, but no new restrictions have been imposed.

(With inputs from agencies.)