Minjoo Reviews 'Resolution to Withdraw Sensitive Country Designation'... "Yoon's Nuclear Armament Theory Caused Diplomatic Disaster"

Some Say "No Final Decision Has Been Made, Caution Is Needed"

The Democratic Party of Korea announced on the 17th that it is considering promoting a parliamentary resolution urging the United States to revoke South Korea's designation as a 'sensitive country.' The party pointed out that former President Yoon Seok-yeol's nuclear armament theory was a cause for South Korea being designated as a sensitive country, criticizing the government and ruling party's diplomatic failure.

Han Min-soo, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said to reporters after the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the same day, "We will promote a resolution urging the revocation of the sensitive country designation." Han criticized, "This issue is clearly a diplomatic disaster caused by the irresponsible nuclear armament theory of President Yoon Seok-yeol and the People Power Party," adding, "They have effectively incited nuclear armament populism."

Earlier, it was recently revealed that the United States added South Korea to the Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List (SCL) just before the end of the Biden administration in January this year. The SCL is set to take effect on April 15. Sensitive countries are designated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as countries that threaten U.S. security and are subject to special management. South Korea was included on the list along with China, Taiwan, and Russia. Nationals of countries on this list may face restrictions on access to advanced technologies such as nuclear energy, nuclear weapons, and artificial intelligence (AI) from the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as limitations on research cooperation with the United States.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 17th. 2025.3.17 Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, stated at the Supreme Council meeting on the same day, "On April 27, 2023, President Yoon reaffirmed South Korea's obligations and commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and compliance with the nuclear peaceful cooperation agreement between the governments of South Korea and China in the so-called Washington Declaration with U.S. President Biden." He claimed, "The U.S. made South Korea repeat that 'the Korea-U.S. nuclear agreement must be strictly observed.'" He added, "From that point on, the U.S. included a clause in the official declaration stating that South Korea will faithfully comply with the NPT and the Korea-U.S. nuclear agreement, suspecting that South Korea might violate the NPT."

However, since this issue is a direct diplomatic matter with the United States, some opinions suggest caution in adopting the resolution. Yoon Jong-gun, the floor spokesperson, told reporters after the party meeting on the same day, "The party has not made a final decision to promote the resolution. Even if the ruling and opposition parties speak with one voice, it is uncertain whether there will be any results."

Kim Jun-hyung, a lawmaker from the Innovation Party, also mentioned on CBS Radio that day, "If you look at when this started, do you remember President Yoon's interview with Chosun Ilbo in January 2023? That was when our nuclear armament theory was officially introduced." Kim said, "I think the main cause of this sensitive country designation is almost entirely due to the nuclear armament theory circulating in our country," adding, "It is necessary to properly identify the cause of the designation and confirm to the U.S. that the nuclear armament theory is not true."