
AI-generated summary
Strategic materials can be used in the development and manufacture of conventional weapons or weapons of mass destruction, so their export is strictly regulated. Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, the export of strategic materials to Russia has been banned. However, illegal exports have increased rapidly over the past five years, and cases of ultra-precision machine tools have been discovered in particular.
Illegal export of ultra-precision machine tools to Russia... Need to expand on-site judgment staff
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kwon Hee-won = Illegal exports of strategic materials that can be used to develop and manufacture conventional weapons or weapons of mass destruction have increased more than 100-fold in four years.
According to data on 'Status of illegal exports of strategic materials from August 2022 to August 2026' submitted by the Korea Customs Service on the 12th to the office of People Power Party lawmaker Kim Do-eup, a member of the National Assembly's Trade, Industry, Energy, Small and Medium Venture Business Committee, the total amount of illegal exports over the past five years amounted to 136 cases, reaching KRW 1.2464 trillion.
Looking at it by year, it was KRW 6.1 billion (14 cases) in 2022, KRW 30.7 billion (13 cases) in 2023, KRW 191.4 billion (53 cases) in 2024, KRW 198.3 billion (34 cases) in 2025, and KRW 819.9 billion (22 cases) in August 2026, a 134-fold increase in just over 4 years. appeared.
The Korea Customs Service's statistics were based only on cases sent to prosecutors, but the number of illegal exports of strategic materials over the past five years calculated by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, including the number of administrative dispositions, was even higher, reaching 251 cases.
By year, there were 34 cases in 2022, 69 cases in 2023, 68 cases in 2024, 33 cases in 2025, and 47 cases by August 2026, which is a 42.4% increase from last year in just 8 months this year.
By item, chemical equipment was the largest with 34 cases, followed by ▲ machinery 24 cases, ▲ electronics 21 cases, ▲ chemistry 11 cases, ▲ information security 10 cases, ▲ materials 6 cases, and ▲ other 133 cases.
For example, it was recently discovered that a domestic machinery company official illegally exported 98 units, including strategic ultra-precision machine tools worth 15.5 billion won, to Russia on 76 occasions between 2022 and 2023.
Ultra-precision machine tools can be used to manufacture weapons of mass destruction, so their export to Russia has been banned since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Despite this, it is pointed out that the number of personnel dispatched from the Trade Security Management Service, which supports the determination of strategic materials at customs sites, is only three, one each at Incheon International Airport, Busan Customs, and Korea Customs Service headquarters, so expansion is urgently needed.
Rep. Kim pointed out, “It is urgent to prepare effective measures to strengthen capabilities to respond to illegal exports of strategic materials,” and “We need to expand on-site strategic material judgment personnel and expand and strengthen cargo screening (cargo selectivity).”
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The on-site strategic material judgment staff of the Korea Customs Service and the Trade Security Management Service will be expanded.
Likely · Within months
Cargo screening (cargo selectivity) will be expanded and strengthened.
Likely · Within months

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