Japan does not plan to retract or renegotiate controls on South Korean hi-tech exports

Japan said Tuesday it does not plan to retract or renegotiate its stricter controls on high-tech exports to South Korea, a day after the South Korean president urged that the issue be resolved through diplomacy.

Tokyo tightened the approval process for Japanese shipments of photoresists and other sensitive materials to South Korean companies last week.

Japanese officials say such materials can be exported only to trustworthy trading partners, hinting at security risks without citing specific cases. They have rejected suggestions that the move was driven by a deterioration in ties between the two countries related to historical issues.

Via AP