S. Korea's foreign ministry rebuts Japan's claim that exports possibly being shipped to N. Korea

외교부, 일본 주장 화학물질 북한유입설 반박... "대북제재 결의 충실히 이행"South Korea has dismissed Japan's claim that some of its exports may have gone to North Korea for the purpose of developing weapons.Seoul stressed that is fully abiding by international sanctions against Pyeongyang.Kan Hyeong-woo reports.Seoul's foreign ministry is dismissing claims by a high-ranking Japanese official that certain materials exported to South Korea may have gone to North Korea.According to a foreign ministry official on Monday,... the South Korean government is thoroughly following the rules of the four multilateral export control regimes... which aim to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction along with their related equipment and technology.The ministry added that Seoul is faithfully implementing the UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea while closely coordinating with the international community.Seoul's statement came a day after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on local TV that it's clear Seoul is not keeping its international agreement with Tokyo over the issue of wartime forced labor,... so it's reasonable to think that South Korea is not complying with trade restrictions against North Korea.Abe was referring to the decision by Seoul's Supreme Court last year ordering Japanese firms to compensate South Koreans forced into hard labor during wartime... against which Tokyo has strongly protested.Abe's close aide and the acting secretary-general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party Koichi Hagiuda also said last week that the final destination of certain chemical materials exported to South Korea was unknown and raised concerns that such exports, which can be used to develop military weapons, may go to North Korea."Referring to the claim made by Hagiuda,... South Korea's foreign ministry made it clear that the Japanese official needs to back up such accusations with detailed proof.Kan Hyeong-woo, Arirang News"