Japan to Lift Tighter Export Controls for S. Korea

Tokyo, March 16 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government said Thursday that it will lift its tightened restrictions on exports of semiconductor materials to South Korea, after Seoul announced a plan last week to resolve a dispute between the two countries over wartime labor.

In response, the South Korean government will withdraw a complaint it filed with the World Trade Organization over the Japanese restrictions.

In July 2019, Japan tightened controls on exports to South Korea of three items, including hydrogen fluoride, that are indispensable for semiconductor production, citing security concerns including possible military use.

The two countries held talks on the Japanese restrictions from Tuesday through Thursday after the South Korean government announced its plan to resolve the wartime labor dispute. In the talks, the Japanese side concluded that South Korea has made progress in improving its export control regime.

In August 2019, Japan excluded South Korea from its "white" list of trusted trading partners qualified for preferential treatment in export procedures. Such "white" nations are currently called Group A countries.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]