SEOUL — The South Korean foreign ministry official emphasized the need for Russia to actively engage in managing bilateral relations following Moscow’s warning of potential retaliation against Seoul’s tightened export controls. This statement was made on Thursday, in response to South Korea’s recent decision to expand its export restrictions on Russia and Belarus.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea had informed Russia about the impending export control measures before their announcement. The new regulation, set to be enforced in early 2024, will prohibit the shipment of 682 additional items, including heavy construction equipment and aircraft components, raising the total banned items to 1,159. The move is a response to the high probability of these items being repurposed for military use, despite not being classified as strategic under South Korea’s export control framework. Russia’s foreign ministry, in reaction, has warned of possible asymmetrical countermeasures.