South Korea imposes export control measures on Belarus
The decision comes after similar US-led sanctions on Moscow.
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Seoul continues to replicate the US' impositions of sanctions.
South Korea has announced export controls against Belarus, citing Minsk's support for Russia's military operation in Ukraine.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated earlier this week that his country “had not taken part and has no plans to take part” in Russia's military operation on Ukraine.
South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday that on February 28, four days after the operation, the Korean government "strongly condemned Russia's armed invasion against Ukraine and decided to take export control measures against Russia in order to achieve a peaceful resolution of the situation."
“In this regard, the Korean government decided today (March 6) to implement export control measures against Belarus under the judgment that Belarus is substantially enabling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” the Ministry said.
The Korean government will notify its partners, including the United States, about this measure and will expand "support and protection for Korean companies and overseas Koreans who may be affected by the measures."
“The export control measures on Belarus will be similarly applied as those on Russia,” the announcement added.
The country announced on February 28 that it would prohibit the export of strategic items to Russia. The Korean government also decided to join the boycott of Russian banks from SWIFT.
Seoul announced earlier this week that it had obtained some exemptions from US sanctions on exports to Russia. As a result, South Korea can continue to sell certain goods to Russia, such as smartphones and automobiles. However, the country promised to "review and finalize actionable measures in the near future" regarding non-strategic goods exports to Russia.
The Russian military operation in Ukraine, launched with the stated goals of "demilitarizing" and "denazifying" Ukraine, protecting Donbass, and defending Russian national security in the face of NATO expansion, was widely condemned by the West.
The majority of Western nations imposed harsh sanctions on Russia, targeting various sectors of its economy, and the list of foreign companies ceasing operations in Russia continues to grow.
