South Korea plans to include Japan in the export white list and lift the export control measures to South Korea on the same day.

　　The South Korean government will issue a notice on the import and export of strategic materials on the 24th, putting Japan back on the "white list" to enjoy simplified export procedures.

　　According to Yonhap News Agency, after the summit meeting between Japan and South Korea last month, relations between the two countries improved. On April 21, local time, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Resources of the Republic of Korea said that the ROK initiated the process of re-listing Japan in the export white list. Previously, on September 18, 2019, the South Korean government removed Japan from the export white list in response to Japan’s export control to South Korea.

　　Yonhap News Agency reported that it is expected that the return of bilateral economic and trade cooperation between Japan and South Korea will be put on the agenda in an all-round way. At present, the South Korean government first re-added Japan to the export white list, but it will take time for South Korea to return to Japan’s export white list. An official from the Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Korea said that the domestic procedures in Japan are more complicated than those in South Korea, so it takes more time to add South Korea to the white list.

　　The official said that after the ROK first takes measures within its power, it will appeal to the Japanese side to respond. At present, South Korea and Japan are conducting further consultations on export whitelist and other matters.

　　According to a previous report by Japan’s Kyodo News Agency, the two heads of state reached an agreement on the normalization of relations after holding talks on March 16 this year. The Japanese government announced on March 23 that the strengthening measures for export control of three semiconductor-related raw materials to South Korea launched in 2019 have been lifted. On the 16th, the South Korean government announced that it would suspend the lawsuit filed with the World Trade Organization (WTO) for the cancellation of the enhanced measures, and the Japanese government also said on the same day that it would lift the measures.