With just over a week to go before the grace period ends on the pre-existing U.S. waiver on Iranian oil imports,... South Korea's foreign ministry is planning to send officials to Washington this week, for consultations with their American counterparts.
The ministry says the move is aimed at looking into the background of the State Department's announcement on Tuesday to end sanctions exemptions to all eight countries that were previously granted exemptions.
The South Korean delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs Yun Kang-hyeon, is expected to ask for a waiver extension.
The Trump administration's decision is expected to deal a blow to South Korea, as the local petrochemical industry is relies heavily on Iranian condensate imports.