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Huawei headquarters in Shenzhen

Amid repeated overt calls from US Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris for South Korean companies to suspend their transactions with Huawei, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said on June 13 that the administration would “consider measures that respect corporate autonomy without affecting military communications security.”

An MOFA official gave the response when asked about a press interview on June 13 with Harris, who disputed the Blue House’s position on 5G mobile communications.

“The relevant ministries are in close discussions and will cooperate with the relevant countries as needed,” the official said, adding that this was the administration’s position on security concerns regarding Huawei products.

On June 7, a Blue House senior official responded to US demands to establish an “anti-Huawei front” by saying that 5G was “clearly separate from the military and security communications network in South Korea.”

“There is no impact whatsoever on the South Korean and US military and security areas,” the official insisted. Noting Huawei communications equipment usage rates of approximately 40% for the European Union and 70–80% for Indonesia, the official said, “Everyone knows that the conditions are good, that it’s affordable and good technology, but the [Huawei equipment] usage rate for our 5G network is less than 10%.”

The message was seen as signaling Seoul’s intent to distance itself from the US-China trade conflict amid recent pressure from both sides.

In an interview the same day with the Chosun Ilbo, Harris openly disputed the Blue House’s position. Reportedly saying that he “disagree[s]” with the statements, Harris was quoted as expressing the need to “look carefully” at purchasing equipment from companies such as Huawei that are “at risk of facing uncontrollable pressure from foreign governments or demands that are not based in judicial procedure.” Responding to a Blue House senior official’s remarks on June 7 referring to “aspects that companies will need to decide for themselves” on the issue, Harris reportedly said the Blue House “will need to examine every option just as the US approaches issues related to Huawei from a national security basis.”

He was also quoted as saying the US “does not want to expose sensitive security information to an unacceptable risk level,” which he said meant that the US would “have to re-evaluate how we share information with allies.”

Critics have accused Harris of breaching diplomatic etiquette with his recent series of remarks pressuring the South Korean government.

By Kim Ji-eun, staff reporter

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