WTO General Council meeting to discuss Japan's trade restrictions

One of the World Trade Organization's highest decision making bodies is set to discuss Japan's export restrictions on Seoul,... upon the request of the South Korean government.Kim Hyo-sun has more on a meeting that could get fiery as the two sides argue their positions.Amid heightening trade tensions between South Korea and Japan,... the WTO General Council is set to discuss Tokyo's trade curbs on Seoul.South Korea's trade ministry says its deputy minister for multilateral and legal affairs, Kim Seung-ho will attend the meeting that will take place in Geneva on Tuesday.The showdown will begin at 10AM local time, which is 5PM Korea time.While council meetings are usually attended by ambassadors,... Seoul has decided to send Kim,... an international trade expert,... due to the seriousness of the issue.Arriving in Geneva on Monday evening,... Kim expressed hope that the Japanese government would take prudent steps.He also stressed he will sternly refute Tokyo's stance at the meeting.Participated by representatives of 164 countries,... the council functions as the WTO's top decision making body aside from the ministerial-level conference that's held every two years.Seoul plans to emphasize that Tokyo's trade restrictions go against the WTO's free trade principles,... urging the immediate withdrawal of the measures.It also aims to win other countries' support so it can heighten pressure on Tokyo.Japan is also threatening to remove South Korea from its "whitelist" of trade partners with minimum restrictions.It remains to be seen how the international community will react to the remarks made by Seoul and Tokyo during what promises to be a tense meeting in the normally sleepy Swiss city.Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News.