South Korea, US agree to resolve ‘countries of concern’ designation
A supporter of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol holds a poster displaying portraits of Yoon and US President Donald Trump during a protest in front of the Constitutional Court in Seoul on March 17, 2025. (AFP Photo)
South Korea announced it has reached agreement with the United States to cooperate on quickly resolving its recent designation as a “country of concern” by the U.S. Department of Energy.
According to a report from Yonhap, South Korean Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun met with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright to discuss the country’s inclusion on the sensitive countries list.
During the meeting, Minister Ahn expressed concerns about South Korea being added to the “countries of concern” list, and both officials agreed to work towards resolving the issue through appropriate procedures.
The two ministers also discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in the energy sector, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), electrical grids, hydrogen, and small modular reactors.
In a press statement following the meeting, Ahn said his visit to the United States provided opportunities to address the “countries of concern” designation and strengthen energy cooperation between the two nations.
“Through close consultations on the Trump administration’s energy policy, we hope to find new opportunities to expand cooperation projects and bilateral investments, and to become joint leaders in the global energy market,” Ahn stated.
Background on South Korea’s designation
The U.S. Department of Energy announced on March 15 that it had placed South Korea in “the lowest category of the countries of concern list” following an unsuccessful martial law attempt in the country.
The DOE statement indicated that the decision to place South Korea in “the lowest category of the countries of concern list” was made by the administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden.
On March 17, South Korean Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok called for contact with the U.S. to prevent potential negative consequences of being designated as a “country of concern.”
According to the DOE’s definition, countries can be added to the “countries of concern list” due to national security issues, regional instability, threats to national economic security, support for terrorism, or nuclear matters.
Analysts note that South Korean researchers may face difficulties working on projects affiliated with the DOE if their country remains on this list.
