Seoul says no fuel exports to Russia cleared customs and will examine tankers' routes

South Korea's foreign ministry says no exports of petroleum products to Russia have been confirmed through customs clearance, Yonhap reports via the Korea JoongAng Daily. The ministry was responding to a Guardian report that more than 176,000 tonnes of mostly diesel were loaded at South Korean ports and shipped to Russia's far east in July and August. It said official figures show no diesel, jet fuel or petrol exports to Russia clearing customs from 2025 to August 2026, and that loading such products at Korean ports does not in itself break domestic law, as they fall outside Seoul's Russia export controls. The ministry said it would examine the vessels' actual routes and declared destinations before deciding whether laws were broken.

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