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| DPK floor leader Rep. Lee In-young, right, shakes hands with the main opposition Liberty Korea Party floor leader Rep. Na Kyung-won at the start of a meeting presided by National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang for talks with the political parties following the introduction of Japan's export control measures, at the Assembly, Monday. Yonhap |
By Kim Yoo-chul
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said Monday it has joined with the major opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and other minor parties to adopt resolutions condemning Japan's export restrictions on some trading items.
"The National Assembly plans to adopt resolutions blaming Tokyo's recent decision for export restrictions to South Korea. The Assembly will be watching to see how the trade issues progress. In a meeting presided by the Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, chiefs of ruling, opposition and minor opposition parties agreed to send a delegation to Japan at the earliest possible date to counter the Japanese move," minor opposition Bareunmirae Party floor leader Oh Shin-hwan told reporters in a briefing at the Assembly.
"Regarding Japan's export curbs, the party leaders each agreed to propose their own resolutions. After collecting them, the Assembly will adopt parliamentary resolutions," the floor leader Oh added.
Speaker Moon was the first to propose the idea of sending a bipartisan delegation to Japan, which was immediately hailed by the floor leaders of the political parties, Rep. Lee In-young, the DPK floor leader, told reporters in a separate briefing. "The Assembly plans to adopt parliamentary resolutions during a parliamentary plenary meeting to be held next week," the DPK lawmaker said.
But it is unknown who will join the delegation and what issues they will discuss during the possible meetings with Japanese lawmakers.
Japan has reinstated an application process for its exports of polyimide, resist, and etching gas to South Korea. In a broader and related move, Japan is also considering dropping South Korea from its list of countries that have fewer restrictions on some items that might have implications for national security. Previously, South Korea was granted a waiver on this requirement.
As the three materials requiring approval are key inputs into the production of flexible displays and semiconductors, any potential delay in approval could pose supply constraints and higher input costs to South Korean producers.
President Moon Jae-in plans to meet business leaders, Wednesday (July 10) at Cheong Wa Dae. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the decision wasn't a countermeasure related to historical issues involving the longstanding wartime dispute. South Korea ordered top Japanese companies to compensate forced wartime laborers of factories and mines during the World War II. Japan claimed that all claims were settled in a 1965 agreement between the two countries.
DPK said it will also discuss with the main opposition LKP to explore any preventive measures on how to help them cover damages their businesses incurred following the export restrictions.
