S.Korean trade official says Japan's export curbs violate WTO rules

Japan's decision to tighten curbs on tech material exports to South Korea violates World Trade Organization rules and Seoul would respond firmly, a senior official at South Korea's trade ministry said on Monday.

"This export control measure by Japan is a measure that is banned in principle according to WTO agreements," Park Tae-sung, a senior South Korean trade ministry official, told reporters. "We find such measure by the Japanese government regrettable," Park said.