Washington: A U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) laboratory contractor employee was terminated after attempting to board a flight to South Korea with export-controlled information on nuclear reactor design software, a report revealed.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) terminated the individual during the reporting period from Oct. 1, 2023, through March 31 last year, as detailed in the DOE Office of the Inspector General (OIG)'s report to Congress. Questions persist regarding South Korea's placement in the lowest category of the DOE's "Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List (SCL)" as of early January.
The proprietary nuclear reactor design software involved is owned by INL. The OIG's investigation included a review of the employee's government email and chat history, showing the individual's awareness of export control restrictions and communications with a foreign government. The report did not elaborate on the content or nature of these communications.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations are currently investigating the case, as noted in the report.
On Monday, Seoul's foreign ministry stated that South Korea's SCL placement was linked to security issues associated with DOE-affiliated research institutions, rather than a broad foreign policy decision. The U.S. government reportedly informed the ministry that South Korea's inclusion on the SCL was due to security regulation violations during South Korean researchers' visits to DOE laboratories or their involvement in joint research projects.
From Seoul's perspective, the case mentioned in the OIG report is considered a breach of security regulations, according to a source.
On Friday, the DOE confirmed that during the preceding Biden administration in early January, South Korea was added to the lowest SCL category. The designation is set to take effect on April 15. The list includes countries subject to stricter scrutiny when requesting access to DOE research institutions or other facilities for technology cooperation or other purposes, including North Korea, Russia, and China.
South Korea's Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun is scheduled to visit Washington this week for discussions with Energy Secretary Chris Wright. Seoul aims to reverse South Korea's placement on the list before it takes effect next month.