SEOUL, August 6. /TASS/. Yeo Han-koo, Head of Trade Negotiations at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of the Republic of Korea, has warned his British counterpart that the UK's upcoming sanctions on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports could undermine South Korea's energy security.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of the Republic of Korea, Yeo held a phone call on August 6 with the newly appointed British Minister of State for Trade, Anas Sarwar.

"During the call, our side expressed deep concerns regarding energy security and the stability of LNG supplies to the Republic of Korea under existing contracts, amid the UK's comprehensive ban on services, including insurance and maritime transportation, for Russian LNG," Seoul stated. The UK restrictions are expected to take effect in January 2027.

The South Korean side noted that the European Union had previously granted an exemption for Seoul when adopting its 21st package of sanctions against Russia.

"[Yeo] proposed maintaining close communication between the two nations to ensure that [the UK] fully considers the challenges faced by our companies and the stability of the global energy market when implementing its sanctions," the ministry added.

South Korea, through its state-owned utility KOGAS, holds a long-term LNG supply contract through 2028 under the Sakhalin-2 project. According to the Yonhap news agency, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy warned that the British ban on shipping insurance could severely disrupt the country's energy inflows.

Earlier in July, South Korea's President welcomed the EU's decision to exempt Seoul from its latest round of anti-Russian sanctions targeting LNG imports, describing it as "good news.".