South Korea raises Japan trade dispute at WTO

July 9 (UPI) -- South Korea is introducing a bilateral trade dispute with Japan as an urgent item for the agenda of the World Trade Organization's Council on Trade in Goods.

Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday the issue began to be raised with the WTO in Geneva on Monday to "explain the South Korean position."

On Tuesday, South Korean Ambassador Paik Ji-ah was expected to tell the WTO's Goods Council that Japan was unleashing "unjustified" trade restrictions against Korea.

The council's meeting began Monday and concludes Tuesday.

As part of its new trade restrictions, Japan's trade ministry had said individual applications will be needed for permission to export to South Korea three materials: fluorinated polyimide, hydrogen fluoride and resists. The products are used to make semiconductors, flat-screen TVs and smartphones.

The Japanese government had said last week it would tighten export regulations because Seoul supports compensation for Korean forced laborers recruited during World War II.

South Korea is also expected to raise Japan trade issues at the General Council meeting of the WTO, to be held July 23-24, according to Yonhap.

A South Korean diplomatic source told the news agency the government does not expect the WTO to produce an agreed outcome. Raising the trade dispute at the WTO will help raise awareness of the issue on the international stage, the source said.

Japan could be planning a response to South Korean moves at the WTO.

Kyodo news agency reported Tokyo is planning to tell the international organization the country is not in violation of any WTO agreements, because the restricted items are subject to military security.

Japan is also seeking the removal of South Korea from its "white list" of preferred trading partners. Trade Minister Hiroshige Seko had said the move would not run afoul of WTO principles.