The Trade Frictions Between Japan and South Korea and Their Implications for Taiwan: An Economic Perspective

Kristy Hsu

《Taiwan Strategists》 4期 (2019/12) Pp. 39-58

摘要

In July 2019, Japan announced an amendment to its export control policy and procedures of certain high-tech exports destined to South Korea, and then further downgraded South Korea's status as a trusted trading partner. South Korea filed a complaint to the World Trade Organization claiming Japan's tightened policies ＂unjustifiable＂ and are out of ＂political considerations,＂ in retaliation for South Korean supreme court rulings demanding that Japanese companies should compensate South Korean nationals forced into wartime labor during the second world war. The incidents soon spilled over into security arena as the South Korean government announced that it would not renew an intelligence-sharing agreement with Japan. The trade dispute is the first dispute between two of Asia's largest and most successful economies after the escalating U.S.-China trade dispute. Japan is widely regarded as adopting unilateral trade measures for non-economic reasons. As Japan is the largest or a major exporter of the three critical chemicals in particular, Japan's stringent export controls raise important legal issues on the interpretation of the WTO rules. South Korean fears of the disruption of supply chains reflect emerging concerns for economic security if multilateral trade rules are not respected.

關鍵字

Trade War ； Export Control ； Global Supply Chain ； WTO ； Dispute Settlement