WTO General Council to discuss Japan's trade curbs on S. Korea next week

South Korea is bringing the issue of Japan's tightened controls on key semiconductor material exports to Seoul to a big World Trade Organization meeting set for next week.While Seoul will insist Tokyo's move is purely politically motivated,... Japan plans to argue that its measures do not violate the WTO regulations.Arirang's Kim Hyo-sun starts us off.The WTO is set to discuss Japan's decision to tighten curbs on high-tech material exports to South Korea.This comes as Seoul requested the issue be dealt with during next week's WTO General Council, the organization's highest decision-making body.Seoul's commerce ministry said Sunday that it aims to call for the immediate withdrawal of the measures.It also plans to underscore how they could negatively affect global trade,... just as it did during last week's meeting of the WTO Council for Trade in Goods.Japanese media forecast the tensions could persist for the time being.Tokyo's Asahi Shimbun has criticized Japan's trade curbs, saying they harm Japanese firms as well,... but Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun predicts Tokyo will likely argue the measures are based on legitimate security concerns.It also pointed out the wide gap between Seoul and Tokyo.The newspaper also explained Tokyo sees the dispute could be turned into a prolonged spat,... taking into account the possibility of South Korea suing Japan at the WTO.It says it could take over a year until a final verdict is handed down.Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News.