PUBLICIZING JAPAN'S EXPORT CURBS

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The South Korean government has launched efforts to publicize to foreign media, the illegitimacy of Japan's export restrictions. Seoul said that Tokyo's export controls can affect global corporations such as Apple and Amazon as well as billions of consumers.

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​"If semiconductor production lines are halted because of Japan's export restrictions, many global corporations such as Apple and Amazon, as well as billions of consumers will be affected." These are the words of a senior Korean government official said at an emergency news conference for foreign journalists to urge Japan to withdraw its export controls. The official added that the measure may deal a blow to Samsung's factory in Texas, USA, which manufactures system memory chips. The Korean government is stepping up efforts to raise awareness about the negative impact of Japan's export restrictions not only on Korea but on the global market as well. The Seoul official also mentioned the remarks of Japanese leaders including Shinzo Abe made in the past. At the G20 Summit in Osaka last month, Prime Minister Abe said that a free and open economy is the foundation of world peace and prosperity. When China stopped exports of rare earth metals to Japan back in 2010, the Japanese officials stressed the importance of free trade. However, Japan's latest measures against Korea run counter to what Japanese leaders said before. The South Korean official pointed out that Japan is targeting the semiconductor sector, which accounts for 25 percent of Korea-bound exports, because governments are not allowed to meddle in the compensation ruling made by Korea's Supreme Court on Japan's wartime forced labor. While criticizing Japan's stance, the official left the door open for a diplomatic solution. The official said that the possibility of mediating the issue is still open, and that the Korean government can discuss any proposition, meaning that Seoul wants to solve the matter through dialogue and strengthen bilateral ties.