South Korea to Reopen WTO Complaint Over Japan Trade Curbs

South Korea to Reopen WTO Complaint Over Japan Trade Curbs
Na Seung-sik, deputy minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy's Office of Trade and Investment, speaks during a briefing at the government complex in Sejong, South Korea, on June 2, 2020. Kang Jong-min/Newsis via AP
|Updated:

SEOUL, South Korea—Reigniting a bitter dispute between key U.S. allies, South Korea on June 2 said it will reopen a complaint filed with the World Trade Organization over Japan’s tightened controls on technology exports to its companies, blaming Tokyo for an alleged lack of commitment in resolving mutual grievances.

South Korea had halted its WTO action in November when it decided to keep a military intelligence-sharing agreement with Japan it previously threatened to end over conflicts stemming from wartime history and trade, after months of pressure by the Trump administration.