Lee Welcomes EU Exemption on Russian LNG Exports to South Korea
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung welcomed the European Union's decision to exempt Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from sanctions. The exemption applies to LNG produced from Russia's Sakhalin II project when shipped to South Korea or Japan through March 31, 2028.
Lee expressed his gratitude for the EU's move on social media platform X, stating that it would be a great help to the daily lives of the people and the economy at a time when uncertainty in energy supply is rising. He also referenced his visit to Italy in June for the G7 summit, where he had urged EU leaders to grant an exemption for South Korea's energy security.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy confirmed that the EU Council adopted its 21st package of sanctions against Russia on Thursday (local time), which includes the exemption provision covering South Korea's imports of Russian LNG. Lee departed for a trip to the United States and South America on Friday, where he plans to hold meetings with CEOs of major tech companies.