Our top story this morning...
As tensions escalate between South Korea and Japan over the new export curbs imposed by Tokyo on key chemicals to Seoul,... the South Korean government has raised the issue at the World Trade Organization.
Seoul's envoy to Geneva has strongly criticized Tokyo's move... urging the Japanese government to withdraw its restrictions ASAP.
Tokyo denies doing anything wrong.
Kim Hyo-sun starts us off.
The South Korean government stressed Japan's new trade restrictions go against the principle of free trade,... strongly condemning the move at a WTO meeting on Tuesday.
While the issue was not on the agenda for the WTO Council for Trade Goods,... Seoul raised it as an issue to be dealt with during the two-day meeting.
Expressing regret over Tokyo's move,... South Korea's Ambassador to Geneva Paik Ji-ah called for the prompt withdrawal of the restrictions.
The envoy also reiterated the grounds for such action claimed by Tokyo are invalid under WTO rules.
The Japanese government insists its move is not a trade embargo,... instead describing it as a necessary measure to review its export system in relation to its security.
Tokyo also stressed the move does not violate its WTO obligations,... adding it's just a change of procedure that had previously enabled Seoul to enjoy a simplified process.
Seoul's envoy also warned the trade curbs would have repercussions for the global electronics industry - including Japan.
The South Korean government also plans to raise the issue at a general council meeting of the WTO,... which is slated to take place in two weeks.
Tensions between Seoul and Tokyo escalated over the recent days following Japan's restrictions on exports of key high-tech components used to make semiconductors and display panels to South Korea.
Such a move is seen as an apparent response to the South Korean Supreme Court's rulings awarding compensation to victims of Tokyo's wartime forced labor by Japanese firms.
Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News.