Berlin, June 20 (EFE).- Germany’s Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister, Robert Habeck, said this Thursday that he discussed with the highest South Korean authorities the importance of the Asian country not delivering more liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels to Russia. ) South Koreans so as not to undermine the Western sanctions regime.
The green politician made this request during his meeting with the Prime Minister of South Korea, Han Duck-soo, as part of his trip to that country, where he also met with the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Energy, Ahn Dukegeun, as he told the German media from Seoul.
“South Korea builds LNG ships for Russia under pre-war contracts, but I think there is a good chance of not delivering those ships and that would be in the interest of us or of the countries that apply sanctions on Russia in general. “Habeck said.
The German vice chancellor stressed that the South Korean prime minister has reiterated to him that the country will continue to apply Western sanctions and that in this sense Berlin would “very much welcome” Seoul’s response to not deliver more tankers to Russia.
The statements by Habeck, who is also head of the Climate portfolio in Germany, took place on the same day that the European Union (EU) reached a political agreement on the fourteenth package of sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, which includes restrictions on the transfer of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in European ports.
The ambassadors of the Twenty-seven to the EU reached this agreement this Thursday after overcoming the reluctance of Germany, which also contemplates measures against the so-called Russian “shadow fleet” that transports oil and helps to avoid sanctions already imposed on Russian crude oil.
Regarding kyiv’s constant appeal to South Korea to deliver Patriot air defense systems or other weapons, which Seoul refuses, Habeck stressed that the Asian country delivers weapons to countries that in turn are willing to transfer them to in turn to Ukraine, so they indirectly reach that invaded nation.
After the visit to Seoul, Habeck will travel to China on Friday, where he will meet with the president of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Zheng Shanjie, the Minister of Commerce, Wang Wentao, and the head of Industry, Jin Zhuanglong .
Together with Wang, Habeck will chair the first plenary session of the Sino-German dialogue on climate and transformation and discuss ways to achieve an ambitious climate policy.
In Shanghai, the vice chancellor will participate in the 30th anniversary celebrations of the Chamber of Foreign Trade and visit the research center of a German company.
In Hangzhou, the program includes company visits and a speech at Zhejiang University.
Habeck will be accompanied on the trip by a business delegation that has focused on SMEs from sectors such as medical and laboratory technology, the automotive industry and metal processing to air conditioning technology and information technology. EFE
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