Japan is not considering the option to lift the export control to S. Korea. (Image via www.orfonline.org)

Japan not considering lifting the export control off of S. Korea

South Korea (S. Korea) demands Japan to lift the export control of important chemical components for its tech companies. However, in the upcoming "7th Japan-Korea Export Control Policy Dialogue" meeting, held on 16 December in Tokyo, between the senior trade officials from the two warring countries, the negotiation for the trade control will not be included.

Japan will be represented by Iida Yoichi, Director-General of the Trade Control Department at the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), and S. Korea will be represented by Lee Ho-hyeon, Director General for International Trade Policy at the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE).

The rumor was confirmed by Japan’s Ministry of Industry, Hiroshi Kajiyama. On the other hand, while the meeting won’t solve the trade issue, Kajiyama asserted that the meeting would cover two main agendas: the “view exchange” about trade control and its implementation, and challenges and implementations of critical technology control.

Projecting the meeting, Kajiyama said that S. Korea is free to make any request; however, Japan is in control of any decision.

One thing for sure, Kajiyama confirmed that the meeting would not result in any resolution to remove Japan’s trade control over S. Korea and the removal of its name from Japan’s “whitelist”.

Previously, Tokyo stated its national security concern over Seoul’s lack of control over controlling exporting material so that it won’t fall into the military sector. Seoul, on the other hand, said that the lax was a “political payback”.

The upcoming meeting was the first time between Japan and S. Korea since mid-2016, thanks to S. Korea’s last-minute decision to extend the GSOMIA pact in November before its expiration.

Source: https://bit.ly/36dxwt1