WTO 참석 정부 대표단 "화이트리스트로 확대 시 日 위반 더 커져"

One of the World Trade Organization's highest decision-making bodies will soon take up Japan's export curbs on South Korea.
Representatives of both countries are in Geneva to make their cases.
Choi Si-young has this report. South Korea's trade ministry says its deputy minister for multilateral and legal affairs, Kim Seung-ho will attend the meeting that will take place in Geneva on Tuesday.
Arriving in Geneva on Monday evening,... Kim said that the Japanese government is already violating WTO regulations with its export curbs,... and that cutting South Korea from Tokyo's trade white list would further breach the global trade rules.
"I will refute Tokyo's stance sternly but with grace. I will explain to the WTO member countries the unfairness and gravity of Tokyo's export curbs."
Among many possible arguments, he is likely to refer to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade or "GATT."
Article 11 of the agreement prohibits WTO member countries from putting restrictions on exports.
And Kim will likely argue that the Japan's export curbs violate this provision.
And on Japan's move to take South Korea off its trade white list, the deputy minister can argue that Japan is violating the Most-Favoured-Nation rule aimed at giving equal treatment to all other WTO countries,... a rule guaranteed under paragraph 1 of Article 1 in the trade agreement.
The council, which is made up of representatives of 164 countries, functions as the WTO's top decision making body aside from the ministerial-level conference that's held every two years.
Seoul aims to win other countries' support so it can heighten pressure on Tokyo.
Meanwhile South Korea's trade minister Yoo Myung-hee is visiting Washington this week to highlight the unfairness of Japan's export restrictions.
"I will meet with U.S. trade experts and clarify the ramifications of Japan's export curbs on companies in the U.S. and the rest of the world."
It remains to be seen how the international community will react to the remarks made by Seoul and Tokyo during what promises to be a tense council meeting in Geneva.
Choi Si-young, Arirang News.