Japan's Industry Ministry announced on Friday that it would relax restrictions on the export of photoresist, a key component in the manufacture of semiconductors, to South Korea, media reported
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th December, 2019) Japan's Industry Ministry announced on Friday that it would relax restrictions on the export of photoresist, a key component in the manufacture of semiconductors, to South Korea, media reported.According to the Japanese NHK broadcaster, export contracts can now be written for three years, rather than the previous six-month limit. All contracts still have to be agreed by the ministry.
Tougher controls were initially imposed in July, but have been reviewed after Japanese authorities monitored a number of vessels and did not encounter any security issues, the news outlet reported.
Restrictions still remain for the export of fluorinated polyimides and hydrogen fluoride, which is having a significant impact on the South Korean technology industry.
On August 2, Japan decided to stop treating South Korea as a trusted trading partner amid a row that began a year ago after Seoul ordered a Japanese metallurgy company to pay compensation to South Korean nationals who were made to conduct forced labor during World War II.
Japan added stricter customs procedures of over 1,000 export items. In response, Seoul threatened to end its participation in the General Security of Military Information Agreement, a bilateral intelligence sharing pact, although these threats never materialized and the agreement remains binding.
