South Korea, Japan Still Have 'Large' Gap in Trade Dispute Negotiations, Minister Says

South Korea and Japan are still far apart in consultations over their trade dispute and don’t expect the U.S. to meditate negotiations, South Korea said.

“I think that our understanding of each other's position has deepened and the gap has narrowed, but the gap is still large,” South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said during an Oct. 24 press conference, according to an unofficial translation. She also said South Korea will accept nothing less than Japan’s removal of its export control restrictions. “Our position is clearly that only when Japan's export control measures are removed, trust can be restored and a friendly atmosphere is created,” Kyung-wha said.

Kyung-wha said South Korea has not requested that the U.S. play a “specific role” in the dispute, only saying that it has explained the situation to the U.S. and the U.S. will “do what it can, but I don't think it's a mediation.” She clarified that the U.S. is “interested” in the dispute and “actively seeking what role the United States can play in this situation through communication with us and with Japan.”

Both South Korea and Japan agreed to continue talks despite the minimal progress being made, Kyung-wha said. “There is a consensus that the diplomatic authorities will continue to conduct intensive consultations from time to time,” she said. “With regard to export regulations, we continue to convey our position and continue to urge the revocation of such unfair export regulations.”

The dispute stems from Japanese export controls placed on South Korea in July, which restricted shipments of three key chemicals used to create semiconductors, smart chips and other high-tech goods (see 1907010020).