The U.S. Department of Energy confirmed on March 15 that it designated South Korea on the lowest tier of the “Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List (SCL)” in January. The SCL includes nations considered potential threats to U.S. national security or fragile states struggling with political instability. South Korea, a longstanding U.S. ally, has been added to the list for the first time. A sensitive country designation means that cooperation with the U.S. in key areas, such as classified military intelligence sharing and advanced technologies, including nuclear energy and artificial intelligence, could be restricted.
“The former Biden administration placed South Korea on the lowest category of the SCL in early January,” the DOE said in response to an inquiry from South Korean media. “Although the designation does not prohibit technical cooperation between the U.S. and SCL countries, visits to the listed countries and cooperation will require prior internal review,” the department added.
Until last year, the SCL included 25 countries, including China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Syria, Israel, and Taiwan. With South Korea’s designation taking effect on April 15, the list will now include 26 countries. SCL designations are typically based on concerns over national security, nuclear nonproliferation, and terrorism. The DOE did not disclose why South Korea was put on the list.
South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government is taking the DOE’s decision “seriously” and is “closely consulting” with relevant U.S. agencies. The ministry vowed to actively negotiate with the U.S. to minimize any negative impact on bilateral cooperation in energy and science. The foreign ministry had been unaware of the SCL designation until local media reported that a DOE research institute had labeled Korea as a sensitive country.
Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s planned visit to South Korea later this month has been canceled, a decision likely influenced by the ongoing political turmoil following the martial law incident. President Yoon Suk-yeol and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo have been impeached by the National Assembly and await the court’s final decision. The defense minister position also remains vacant. “We will ensure there are no disruptions in U.S.-ROK relations during the early stages of the Trump administration,” the Ministry of National Defense said in a statement.
