First Vice Minister of Economy and Finance Lee Eog-weon on March 6 chairs the 12th meeting of an emergency government task force on the Ukraine crisis at Government Complex-Seoul. (Ministry of Economy and Finance)

By Xu Aiying and Kim Hayeon 


The government will impose export controls on Belarus for the latter's support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The decision came on March 6 at Government Complex-Seoul through the 12th meeting of an emergency government task force to respond to the Ukraine crisis chaired by First Vice Minister of Economy and Finance Lee Eog-weon.

The restrictions on Belarus will be applied in similar fashion as those on Russia.

Seoul also banned the export of strategic materials usable for military purposes such as conventional weapons and missiles to Belarus. Export controls will also be applied to 57 non-strategic materials such as low specification semiconductors and computers as well as goods and technology.

Two entities including the Belarusian Ministry of Defense were designated "concerns for transactions," or put on Seoul's export blacklist.

Korea's exports to Belarus amount to USD 70 million, or 0.01% of Korea's total, and imports USD 80 million (also 0.01%).

The government on Feb. 28 tightened export controls on Russia by banning the export of strategic items and added 49 Russian entities on March 4 to its blacklist, including the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation.

"The government will deliver today's decision with relevant countries including the U.S. as soon as possible, while further expanding support and protection for Korean companies and Koreans abroad who could be affected," Seoul said in a statement.

"Through an industry briefing session, we will explain the gist of our export control measures on Russia and government support measures, and rapidly prepare legal grounds for implementing export regulation."

"As the impact of the Ukrainian crisis gradually becomes visible, we will devise solutions immediately by approaching problems and difficulties that occur," it added. "We will closely monitor the possibility of a prolonged and spreading of the situation and supplement our immediate action plan to preemptively respond to the potential for a worsening of the situation.

xuaiy@korea.kr