Japan begins process to put Korea back on export 'white list'
Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol shakes hands with Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, as the meet at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, March 16. Reuters-Yonhap
Japan began domestic procedures Friday to return Korea to its "white list" of trusted trading partners, in a move to improve bilateral economic relationship, Seoul's industry ministry said.
Japan began canvassing public opinion on redesignating Korea as a "Group A," or white list nation, that would give Seoul preferential export treatment, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said, citing a statement issued by the Japanese trade ministry.
Tokyo downgraded Korea to "Group B" in 2019 after imposing export restrictions on three key industry materials, in an apparent retaliation against the Korean Supreme Court rulings the previous year that ordered two Japanese companies to pay compensation to Korean forced labor victims during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
But the two sides last month vowed the reinstatement after Korea announced plans to compensate the victims without asking Japan for contributions, and Korea put Japan back on its white list earlier this week.
Japan lifted the export curbs after President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held a bilateral summit, and agreed to make joint efforts to better bilateral ties long marred by historic and diplomatic rows stemming from the colonial rule.
"Korea welcomes Japan's move and hopes for the swift conclusion of the procedures," the Seoul ministry said in a release. (Yonhap)