The U.S. Department of Energy is expected to implement the designation of South Korea as a sensitive country on the 15th. The government has been in discussions with the U.S. side to lift the designation, but it appears that lifting it before the 15th is virtually impossible.
According to relevant departments on the 13th, the decision by the U.S. Department of Energy to designate South Korea as a sensitive country, made earlier this January, will take effect on the 15th of this month.
Under U.S. federal law, the Minister of Energy cannot allow citizens or representatives of countries designated as sensitive to enter the U.S. National Security Institute without completing a prior Shinwon check.
If this measure takes effect, researchers from South Korea must submit relevant materials at least 45 days prior to visiting U.S. research institutes and obtain separate approvals. Additionally, when U.S. Department of Energy employees or affiliated researchers visit or contact South Korea, further security procedures will apply.
The U.S. has pointed out that one of the reasons for this measure is that South Korea has not sufficiently managed sensitive information in the field of science and technology. The government also sees this issue more as a technical matter concerning research security rather than a political or diplomatic problem.
However, the fact that South Korea has been designated as a sensitive country by the U.S. may negatively impact future cooperation in science, technology, and research between South Korea and the U.S. Consequently, the government has been focusing on practical discussions aimed at lifting the designation before the April 15th implementation.
On the 20th of last month (local time), Minister An Duk-geun of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy visited Washington D.C., where he met with Energy Minister Chris Wright and agreed to cooperate in promptly resolving the sensitive country issue according to procedure.
However, because the criteria and procedures for designation and lifting of sensitive countries are officially 'classified,' predicting future timelines is challenging. If the designation is not lifted by the 15th and the situation prolongs, there are concerns that the government's proactive response will be crucial.
The National Assembly Legislative Research Service emphasized in a recent report that 'the government must check the international cooperation risk management system, identify potential damages through a thorough investigation of the cooperation status and plans, and prepare countermeasures.'