*South Korea had a long-running policy of diversifying crude sourcing away from the Middle East: the region’s market share fell to a record low 60% for 2021 (MEES, 14 January). But amid a political decision to shun Russian barrels and tight competition for supplies from elsewhere, Seoul appears to have relaxed its diversification efforts, with the Mideast market share rising to 64.5% for 1H 2022 (see table and chart), a development that echoes that in nearby Taiwan (MEES, 22 July).