South Korea considers legal action over alleged fuel exports to Russia

South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced plans to take legal action regarding alleged illegal fuel shipments to Russia, contingent upon confirmation of the claims made by an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The ministry stated on Thursday that it has not yet verified whether South Korean fuel, including diesel, was exported to Russia. It clarified that certain products, such as diesel and jet fuel for commercial purposes, are not listed under South Korea's export control measures to Russia. On Wednesday, the South Korean presidential office rejected the assertion by Vladyslav Vlasiuk, an adviser to the Ukrainian president on sanctions policy, that 176,000 tonnes of fuel were shipped from South Korea to Russia via sanctioned tankers in July and August. Ukraine's top sanctions official indicated that these alleged shipments contradict South Korea's sanctions policy toward Russia. South Korean presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung stated, 'Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, our government has consistently implemented sanctions and export controls against Russia in close cooperation with the international community.' She also urged Ukraine to avoid misrepresenting South Korea's policies without adequate verification. Tensions between South Korea and Ukraine have escalated recently, following Seoul's accusation that Zelenskyy had 'unilaterally disclosed' to the United Nations General Assembly that Kyiv transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. South Korea has requested an official apology from Ukraine, asserting that a non-disclosure agreement was breached, a claim Kyiv disputes. North Korea and Russia maintain a close relationship, having signed a mutual defense treaty in 2024, and estimates suggest that approximately 14,000 to 15,000 North Korean soldiers have been sent to assist Russia in its conflict with Ukraine. The Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953, ended in an armistice, leaving North Korea and South Korea technically still at war.