Anchor: A Seoul delegation at an international arms control treaty conference has defended its export-control system following Japanese accusations that it is “insufficient.” Seoul said it was faithfully abiding by international arms control norms and expressed regret over Japan’s trade restrictions.
Park Jong-hong has the details.

Report: South Korea has rejected Japanese allegations of negligence in its handling of export controls on both strategic and non-strategic goods.

In a speech at the Fifth Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty(ATT) in Geneva on Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry’s Director General for Nonproliferation and Nuclear Affairs Lim Sang-bum rebuked Tokyo’s claims that Seoul’s export controls are "insufficient.”

Lim stressed that South Korea is faithfully implementing international control norms on the spread of conventional weapons and that the country’s “catch-all” system is being strictly implemented.

The catch-all system controls exports of certain goods to prevent them from being shipped to countries which may build illicit weapons.

Japan has suggested South Korea might have been negligent in managing some dual-use export goods in violation of international sanctions against North Korea, and has used the accusation as grounds to levy export curbs on its Asian neighbor. 

Lim expressed regret over the trade restrictions and urged Japan to withdraw them.

The nuclear expert said Japan has set a bad precedent by abusing international norms and is undermining the purpose and aim of multilateral trade control frameworks.

The Seoul delegation at the ATT conference is comprised of 14 members from various ministries. They plan to hold one-on-one sessions with participating delegates to present South Korea’s position regarding Japan’s trade restrictions.

The UN-backed ATT entered into force in 2014. It seeks to regulate international conventional arms trade and prevent and eradicate illicit exchanges and diversion of conventional arms.
Park Jong-hong, KBS World Radio News.