The South Korean government has launched a legal review of its plan to file an accusation with the World Trade Organization(WTO) regarding Japan’s restrictions of chip exports to South Korea. 

An official at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said on Wednesday that Japan's move amounts to export controls banned by the WTO, adding a related department has embarked on working-level legal reviews to possibly file a complaint at the WTO. 

The ministry's legal planning department, which helped influence the WTO's decision earlier this year to uphold Seoul's ban on fishery imports from eight Japanese prefectures, is handling the matter.  

Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee also canceled her business trip to Latin America set to begin on Wednesday, to apparently deal with the issue.