Japan criticized South Korea’s removal of the country from export whitelist today, as trade tension continued to intensify. South Korea announced to move Japan into a newly created export category, for the latter’s frequent violation of basic rules.
Japanese Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko said South Korea has failed to show how Japan had fallen short of international export control measures. He added, “from the start, it is totally unclear under what basis South Korea can say that Japan’s export control measures don’t meet the export control regime.”
On the other hand, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said today that “the Japanese government made a decision to exclude South Korea from white-listed countries, following export restrictions… It is disappointing and regrettable in light of the two countries’ shared efforts for friendship and cooperation.”