By Kang Gahui and Kim Hwaya

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy from July 23-24 will argue that Japan's export restrictions on Korea are unfair and demand their withdrawal in a meeting of the World Trade Organization's (WTO) General Council in Geneva.

Kim Seung-ho, the ministry's director general for international trade and legal affairs who will attend the meeting as Korea's representative, said after his arrival in Geneva on July 22, "Removing Korea from (Japan's) white list (of preferential trading partners) would be a further violation of WTO regulations," adding, "We expect the Japanese government to be prudent."

On Seoul's plan to file a complaint with the WTO over the dispute, he said, "We will review the issue by looking at the situation."

Japan's representative for the meeting is Shingo Yamagami, director-general of the economic affairs bureau at Japan's Foreign Ministry.

On July 1, the Japanese government announced sanctions on Korea that included export restrictions on semiconductors and display materials and exclusion from a white list of preferential trading partners.

The General Council is the WTO's second-highest decision-making body attended by representatives from 164 countries. Since the ministerial conference, the WTO's top decision-making body, is held biennially, this meeting will be the highest held this year.

In the meeting, Korea can make its case that Japan's sanctions are unfair, and then the Japanese side can raise objections. Other parties can also join the discussion and present their own views.

kgh89@korea.kr