Lee Ho-hyeon, director-general for international trade policy at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, speaks on May 12 at Government Complex-Sejong about the government's response to Japan's export regulations and plans. (Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy)

By Lee Kyoung Mi and Lee Jihae

The government on May 12 urged Japan to specify by the end of the month its regulations on exports to Korea.

Lee Ho-hyeon, director-general for international trade policy of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, told a news conference May 12 at Government Complex-Sejong, "In a situation in which nearly a year has passed since Japan on July 1 last year announced strengthened regulations on exports to Korea, we can no longer delay resolving this pending issue."

He urged a solution to Korea's removal from Japan's "whitelist" of preferential trading partners and Japan's ban on exports to Korea of three chemicals crucial for the production of semiconductors and display products.

Upon restricting such exports to Korea in July last year, Japan cited as reasons the suspension in bilateral policy dialogue, "catch-all" regulations restricting the sale and distribution of all materials potentially usable in weapons production, and "insufficient" personnel and organizations for managing exports.

The director-general said both nations over the last six months have held director-general-level policy dialogue and conferences between director-generals and directors, amended laws on foreign trade, reshuffled and expanded the organization in charge of trade security, and added personnel for screening export management.

"There is no reason to hesitate the restoration of trade regulations to their original state in a situation in which all the reasons (cited by Japan) have been resolved and there is no problem exporting to Korea," he said.

Saying the novel coronavirus pandemic has hit both nations hard, he added, "We hope that Korea and Japan promptly settle issues in the export management sector, in which the two countries have much to cooperate on, and head toward a more progressive direction."