U.S. designates S.Korea as 'sensitive country' – what it means for bilateral relations

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon.

As of April 15th, the U.S. Department of Energy officially designated South Korea as a "sensitive country."

This move has raised significant concerns about the future of their cooperation, particularly in areas like science, technology, and energy. Despite the lack of explanation from the U.S. government, questions are being raised about the implications of this decision for a long-standing alliance that has been vital to regional stability.

As tensions grow over South Korea's role in global strategy, the Korean government now faces a delicate diplomatic challenge.

Tonight, we'll explore what this means for the future of U.S.-South Korea relations and what steps the government may take to navigate these turbulent waters.

For this, we invite Robert Kelly, Professor of International Relations at Pusan National University. Welcome

Also joining us is Hannah Kim, Associate Professor at Sogang University GSIS. Thank you for joining us.

(Kelly) 1. So last week, America's measure to include South Korea on its sensitive country list went into effect. However, the U.S. still hasn't disclosed specific reasons for designating Korea as a sensitive country. How should we read into this?

(Kim) 2. While the U.S. has stated its intent to continue close cooperation with South Korea, there are concerns that the latest measure could hinder bilateral cooperation in the science and energy sectors. Prof. Kim, what specific disruptions are anticipated?

(Kelly) 3. South Korea was included in the lowest-tier category for countries with relatively low levels of concern, labeled "Other Designated Countries." Prof. Kelly, what impact do you think this move has in terms of the ROK-U.S. alliance?

(Kim) 4. Last month, Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun urgently traveled to the U.S. for negotiations but failed to prevent the implementation of the sensitive country designation. Prof. Kim, the Korean government says it may take more time to have the designation lifted. What kind of approach could be helpful for the Korean government?

(Kelly) 5. Some analyses suggest that President Trump may use the lifting of the sensitive country designation as a bargaining chip in future negotiations over tariffs or defense cost-sharing. What's your take on that, Prof. Kelly?

(Kim) 6. Meanwhile, concerns about ROK-U.S. diplomatic and security cooperation continue. Following Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, it has been reported that Senior Official Sean O'Neill of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs also excluded South Korea from his Asia tour. Since the launch of Trump's second term, similar cases of South Korea being skipped in official visits are increasing. Prof. Kim, should we be concerned about a "Korea passing" situation?

(Kelly) 7. If this pattern of Korea being sidelined continues, disruptions will inevitably occur in diplomatic and security cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. What diplomatic response strategy would you recommend for the Korean government, Prof. Kelly?

(Kim) 8. In addition, following an executive order from the Trump administration, the Woodrow Wilson Center— a public policy research institution—has begun the process of closure. Korean studies programs at the Wilson Center have also been suspended. What kind of gap might this create in policy continuity and trust-building between the two countries, Prof. Kim?

(Kelly) 10. Furthermore, foreign media reports suggest that the Trump administration is reviewing the shutdown of 27 overseas missions, including the U.S. Consulate in Busan. While the U.S. Embassy in Seoul has stated that "no official announcement has been made," could the review itself be interpreted as a weakening of U.S. strategic interest in South Korea, Prof. Kelly?