South Korea's Foreign Ministry said on October 2 that the government will take legal measures if allegations of unauthorized fuel exports to Russia are verified, citing information from Ukraine.
Earlier, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, an adviser on sanctions policy to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, alleged that 176,000 tons of fuel were shipped from South Korea to Russia via sanctioned tankers in July and August. South Korean officials said they have not yet confirmed the information.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry noted that exports of certain items such as diesel and jet fuel for commercial purposes are not covered by South Korea's export controls on Russia. However, Ukrainian officials argue that the findings contradict Seoul's sanctions policy toward Moscow.
On October 1, South Korea's presidential office rejected the Ukrainian adviser's claim. Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said: "Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the South Korean government has consistently implemented sanctions and export controls against Russia in close cooperation with the international community." She also urged Ukraine to "avoid distorting South Korea's related policies without sufficient verified evidence and to refrain from statements that could harm international trust."
Tensions between South Korea and Ukraine have escalated in recent weeks after Seoul accused President Zelenskyy of "unilaterally disclosing" before the United Nations General Assembly that Kyiv had transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. Seoul demanded a formal apology from Kyiv, saying the Ukrainian leader violated an agreement not to disclose the information. Ukraine rejected the claim, saying no such agreement existed.
Meanwhile, North Korea and Russia have deep ties, having signed a mutual defense treaty in 2024. According to estimates by Ukraine and South Korea, roughly 14,000 to 15,000 North Korean troops have been sent to support Russia in its war against Ukraine. North Korea and South Korea remain technically at war because the 1950-1953 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.
