'S. Korea mishandled sensitive nuclear-related information,' U.S. ambassador says

Joseph Yun, the Chargé d'Affaires ad interim at the U.S. Embassy in South Korea, stated on the 18th that South Korea was added to the U.S. Department of Energy’s list of Sensitive and Other Designated Countries (SCL) due to its mishandling of sensitive information. This marks the first time a U.S. administration official has publicly explained the reason for South Korea’s designation since the controversy over the list emerged.

Speaking at a roundtable co-hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea and the U.S. Embassy, Yun noted that more than 2,000 South Korean students, researchers, and government officials visited U.S. Department of Energy laboratories—such as Los Alamos and Argonne—last year, where export-sensitive materials are handled. "There were several incidents in the laboratories, and that’s how the list was created," he said.

Yun did not elaborate on the specific incidents that led to the designation. A government source stated, “Since 90% of the Department of Energy’s work is nuclear-related, multiple incidents involving the potential inflow of nuclear technology-related information into South Korea likely played a role.” There are also suspicions that individuals involved in U.S.-South Korea joint research may have violated regulations prohibiting external distribution of materials or photography, leading to widespread breaches under the pretext of technology leaks.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Energy reportedly informed the South Korean government that serious misconduct, tantamount to industrial espionage, had occurred during bilateral cooperation. A diplomatic source revealed, “The U.S. conveyed to us that there were incidents last year that they deemed ‘serious’ violations.”

Yun downplayed the significance of the issue, saying, “It’s not a big deal,” and reassured that the matter would not hinder technological cooperation between the two countries. However, the South Korean government has yet to fully identify the specific incidents that led to its designation as a sensitive country. This has prompted calls for swift follow-up measures to prevent recurrence. Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun is scheduled to meet with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright in the U.S. this week to stress that the designation should not impede bilateral cooperation in key areas such as nuclear energy.


Na-Ri Shin journari@donga.com