South Korea’s presidential office rejects claims by a Ukrainian sanctions adviser that South Korea helped Russia ease a fuel shortage by shipping petroleum to Russia despite international sanctions. Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kang Yu-jung says Seoul has not changed its position and says it implements sanctions and export controls against Russia in close coordination with the international community.
The dispute follows a reference to a report by The Guardian alleging that more than 176,000 tons of fuel may have been shipped from Korean ports to Russia during July and August, potentially via sanctioned tankers. Korean outlets report that a Ukrainian official cited the allegations publicly, arguing they contradict Korea’s stated sanctions policy and could mean Korea is offsetting Russia’s refining and fuel challenges. South Korea denies the implication and calls the Ukrainian accusation “inaccurate and inappropriate,” framing it as misinformation tied to external reporting.
Across the coverage, all outlets describe the same denial by Cheong Wa Dae and the same underlying claim by Ukrainian officials based on the Guardian report.
