<Anchor> The Korean

government has decided to resume the WTO dispute resolution process in relation to Japan's export control measures. I believe Japan has virtually rejected our request to lift export restrictions by the end of last month.

Reporter Kim Hye-min.

<Reporter> The

government has decided to resume the WTO dispute resolution process against Japan's export restrictions on three items.

Earlier, the government temporarily suspended a complaint against the WTO due to dialogue between Korea and Japan last November.

[Na Seung-Sik / Head of Trade and Investment, Ministry of Industry: The Korean government has come to the conclusion that the current situation was difficult to see through the normal dialogue that was the condition of the suspension of the WTO dispute resolution process.]

Japan was the key to manufacturing semiconductors and displays in July last year . The three items, the photoresist for extreme ultraviolet rays, fluorine polyimide, and hydrogen fluoride, have been changed from general comprehensive permission to individual permission.

In August, Korea was excluded from the'white list', which recognized the benefits of simplifying the approval process when exporting by Korean companies.

The South Korean government notified Japan to disclose its position on export regulation, saying that all three reasons for Japan's export control measures have been resolved, including the suspension of policy talks between Korea and Japan, insufficient control of catchalls for conventional weapons, and insufficient export management organizations and manpower. However, Japan virtually refused.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said, "We will protect the legitimate interests of our company by objectively proving the illegality and unfairness of Japan's three items export restrictions through the WTO dispute resolution process."