Dana Petroleum and KNOC: Don’t fuel Israeli genocide!
Scotland-based Dana Petroleum and their owners, the Korean National Oil Corporation (KNOC), are playing a key role in a consortium contracted by the Israeli government since October 2023 to pillage Palestinian gas off the coast of Gaza; 62% of the area to be explored lies in Palestinian waters.
The illegal extraction of natural resources, such as gas, from occupied territory amounts to the war crime of pillage. Earlier this year, Italian energy giant, Eni, had pulled out of the same consortium after a major campaign by BDS groups and partners.
Since then, the consortium has been flailing, its validity under scrutiny and without, as yet, new corporate partners to replace Eni.
Dana Petroleum’s continued participation in this consortium is a violation of international law and a huge financial and reputational risk to both the company and its parent, the public sector company KNOC.
South Korean and Scottish civil society have been campaigning together since 2025 to get KNOC out of this dirty deal. Now it is time to escalate, and we call on people across the globe to support our efforts and urgently call on the South Korean government: ACTION, NOT WORDS
In recent months, the South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung, has made some significant interventions in relation to Israel, and the need for accountability for its war crimes and crimes against humanity. This shift in South Korea’s position, and its commitment to international law, are welcome. But the government must translate words into concrete action.
KNOC is a public sector company, financed by the Korean people. Pulling its subsidiary Dana Petroleum out of the criminal consortium would be a straightforward step in fulfilling international legal obligations and extracting it from complicity in Israel’s occupation, apartheid and genocide.
As South Korean civil society, we call on you to join us in making this call a global demand building towards an energy embargo on Israel, as has been called for by Palestinian civil society and international legal experts. Wherever you are, you can play a role!
TAKE ACTION NOW
1. Send an email directed at your local Korean embassies (do a quick internet search for your nearest one), as well as Dana and KNOC (external.affairs@dana-petroleum.com; kbhr@knoc.co.uk), demanding that they follow the lead of ENI, and pull out of the consortium.
Sample text for your email:
Dear xxxxx,
I write to you, concerned as a conscientious citizen of the world, about the complicity of a public sector South Korean company in the ongoing genocide against Palestinian people.
Korean National Oil Corporation’s Scotland-based subsidiary Dana Petroleum risks complicity in Israel’s crimes through its participation in the consortium proposing to explore gas reserves in Palestinian waters - if this goes ahead, this would constitute the war crime of pillage.
Continuing involvement in this consortium poses severe financial and reputational risk for Dana Petroleum and KNOC. Eni’s withdrawal from the project following massive global campaigning reflects how fast this consortium is crumbling.
KNOC, as a public sector company, should comply with international law, and they should respond to the call of Korean civil society, and divest from an illegal, immoral and financially risky and failing consortium.
2. Phone your nearest South Korean embassy to raise your concern about the government’s on-going complicity in an endeavour widely recognised as paving the way for a significant breach of international law. Phone call guidance is available here.
3. All out on September 17th – we’re calling on groups and people of conscience around the world to organise actions on September 17th, outside of their nearest South Korean embassy, demanding KNOC-Dana withdraw from the illegal Israeli gas consortium. Complete the form here to register and coordinate your event with us - there's also an opportunity to request additional digital materials such as leaflets and placard designs.
