日 수출규제 시행령 공포...시행세칙에 추가 규제품목 지정 안해
Korean firms were bracing for tougher export restrictions but at least for now, the damages are likely to be limited... as Japan hasn't designated any additional items that require individual export approval.
But as our Lee Min-sun reports, Korea is not letting its guard down. Japan's detailed regulations released on Wednesday for the enforcement of taking South Korea off the whitelist did not include additional goods subject to tougher export regulations.
Seoul had thought that Tokyo might add more items to the list of goods that are strictly regulated when exported to South Korea.
Japan had previously declared that it would impose tougher regulations on three key materials used for making semiconductors and displays in early July.
"Japan already put regulations on three key materials for semiconductors and excluded South Korea from the list of preferred trading partners. If Japan puts regulations on additional items, then it will make the situation worse. It appears that Japan didn't want the burden of creating more tension with the U.S. trying to mediate the situation, the ongoing boycott movements in Korea and the possible influence on the global and local economy."
However, some worry that the ambiguous terms used in the detailed regulation may give room for Japan to put other products on the list of goods subject to tougher regulations anytime they want in the future.
Once the goods are included on the list, the Japanese government can prolong the approval process or reject the export request from South Korean companies.
South Korea's trade official said that it's hard to say whether Japan has refrained from expanding the current measures, and that they need to wait and see whether Japan will take any further related measures.
Lee Min-sun Arirang News.
