- Title: Japan denies South Korean claims on export curbs
- Date: 11th October 2019
- Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (OCTOBER 11, 2019) (REUTERS) JAPANESE DELEGATION INCLUDING DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF MULTILATERAL TRADE SYSTEM DEPARTMENT AT JAPANESE MINISTRY OF ECONOMY, TRADE AND INDUSTRY, KURODA JUNICHIRO (SECOND FROM LEFT), AT NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS TYPING KURODA AND DELEGATION SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF MULTILATERAL TRADE SYSTEM DEPARTMENT AT JAPANESE MINISTRY OF ECONOMY, TRADE AND INDUSTRY, KURODA JUNICHIRO, SAYING: "Japan also affirmed that the measure was not meant to exacerbate Japan-Korea relations nor what we intended to be an economic retaliation as alleged by Korea." KURODA AND DELEGATION AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF MULTILATERAL TRADE SYSTEM DEPARTMENT AT JAPANESE MINISTRY OF ECONOMY, TRADE AND INDUSTRY, KURODA JUNICHIRO, SAYING: "As I explained, the update of export control on the three items was taken to fulfil Japan's obligation and international regimes to properly control export and transfer of technologies. Its potential risk to be diverted for military use as Japan has responsible for ensuring non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and other weapons." JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE SOUTH KOREA'S DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR TRADE LEGAL AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC AT MINISTRY OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND ENERGY, CHUNG HAE-KWAN, SITTING AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR TRADE LEGAL AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC AT MINISTRY OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND ENERGY, CHUNG HAE-KWAN, SAYING: "I clearly explained our position on the export restrictions which go against WTO agreement and I said it is unfair and should be withdrawn. In the meantime, both sides also discussed the details of measures and put efforts to understand each other." SOUTH KOREAN DELEGATION'S NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR TRADE LEGAL AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC AT MINISTRY OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND ENERGY, CHUNG HAE-KWAN, SAYING: "As a result, we couldn't find a satisfactory agreement yet, but we agreed to hold further consultation, so we will keep discussing through that." EXTERIOR OF WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO) BUILDING SIGN OF WTO
- Embargoed: 25th October 2019 20:02
- Keywords: South Korea Japan WTO export curbs diplomatic row smartphone chips forced laborer World War Two
- Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- City: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001B0NNHON
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Japan and South Korea's meeting on trade dispute ended without an agreement at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) headquarters in Geneva on Friday (October 11), but the two sides agreed to hold further consultation.
In July, Japan imposed tighter controls on exports of three materials to South Korea used in smartphone chips and displays following a diplomatic dispute over compensation for forced labourers during Japan's occupation of Korea during World War Two.
South Korea last month initiated a WTO dispute against Japan's restrictions saying the complaint intends to prevent the act of abusing trade for political purposes from recurring.
Head of Japanese delegation Kuroda Junichiro said Japan's measure was not meant to exacerbate Japan-Korea relations, but to properly control export and transfer of technologies, meanwhile South Korean counterpart Chung Hae-kwan said the measure should be withdrawn.
Bilateral relations deteriorated after South Korea's Supreme Court last year ordered two Japanese companies to compensate wartime workers in a ruling that Tokyo said violated international law.
(Production: Cecile Mantovani, Minwoo Park) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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