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SEOUL: South Korea\u2019s presidential office on Wednesday dismissed a Ukrainian report that Russia has imported petroleum products from South Korean ports, calling the accusation inappropriate.<\/p>\n
Ukraine\u2019s top sanctions official, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, said on Tuesday the shipments had eased the impact of a fuel crisis caused by Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries.<\/p>\n
His comment followed a report by the Guardian newspaper saying that port records and ship-tracking data showed that fuel had been loaded at South Korean ports \u2060onto seven tankers, including \u2060vessels under British and EU sanctions.<\/p>\n
The presidential office said South Korea had \u201cconsistently enforced sanctions and export controls against Russia in close coordination with the international community,\u201d since Moscow\u2019s invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n
It added that Seoul was examining the facts and checking for any export \u2060control issues, and would take necessary measures if any problems were confirmed.<\/p>\n
The accusation risks deepening a rift between the two countries that have broadly aligned against Russia since its invasion of Ukraine and raises questions about how effectively sanctions on Russian energy imports are being enforced.<\/p>\n
Relations between Ukraine and South Korea have been strained over a diplomatic dispute that erupted last month when President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the transfer of two \u2060North \u2060Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. Seoul said the transfer was meant to stay secret.<\/p>\n
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said last week that Kyiv was undertaking diplomatic efforts to put the \u201cmisunderstanding\u201d behind the two countries.<\/p>\n
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi told reporters on Wednesday that the dispute was rooted in a \u201cdifference in interpreting the agreements on confidentiality.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cActive work is under way through closed diplomatic channels to resolve and turn the page on this,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n