South Korea Aims to Cut Middle East Crude Reliance to 50% by 2035

South Korea will try to cut its reliance on Middle East crude imports to 50% by 2035, Reuters has reported, citing the country’s industry ministry. The ministry has drafted a 10-year natural resource security plan, which envisages a “fundamental shift” in the way South Korea sources its imports. The plan also calls for a boost in oil reserves by some 20 million barrels by 2030. South Korea imports as much as 70% of its crude oil from Middle Eastern producers, and most of it must pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the ministry…

Market Context

Global crude oil markets remain sensitive to a combination of macroeconomic signals, OPEC+ production policy, and geopolitical developments across key producing regions. Brent crude and WTI serve as the primary price benchmarks, with spread movements reflecting regional supply-demand imbalances and refinery demand shifts.

Energy traders and analysts closely monitor inventory data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), which releases weekly petroleum status reports that frequently move markets. Rising inventories typically signal demand weakness or oversupply, while draws support price recovery.

What to Watch

Analysts and traders will be watching upcoming EIA inventory reports, OPEC+ output decisions, and macroeconomic indicators — particularly U.S. Federal Reserve policy signals and China demand data — for directional cues on crude prices in the near term.