politics

S Korean leader says Tokyo's trade curbs will hurt Japan more

49 Comments
By Kim Tong-Hyung

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49 Comments
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In this case south korea should stop sour grapping,just keep on fighting not by sort of begging,they started the trouble.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Abe san wouldn't last a minute against Moon in a hand to hand combat.

This is hilarious. Maybe its true, but it looks like Abe is wiping the floor with Moon in political combat.

You keep saying how none of this is a big deal to Korea, but Moon's constant crying to anyone who will listen confirms otherwise.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Finally, I will add another thing. If Japan wanted really to hurt South Korea, it could do like China, that partially banned kpop and Korean movies. These are true actions that can hurt also the soft power and cultural exchanges between Countries.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

South Koreans are too much busy to boycott Japanese goods, so they have less time to think about Moon horrible economic politics, so I guess Japan made to Moon a big favor. This is how naive people indoctrinated to hate another Country can be.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

As I already said, South Korea is overreacting, since these export controlls will have a very limited impact. Japan wanted only to send a signal. I don't even understand why South Korea is in the White list and Taiwan isn't, since unlike Taiwan, South Korea always showed distrust and hostility towards Japan. Probably it's because of Taiwan links with China, though. There was NEVER any "trust" towards Japan from South Korea, so Moon is saying obvious absurdity when he says that by this act Japan ruined the trust relationship. Anyway, I repeat, this thing won't hurt South Korea companies and Moon knows it, he is only using it to fuel anti-Japanese feelings. If they go to the WTO, probably South Korea will win, but at that time Abe will have been re-elected already, so he could care less. He only needed to show that Japan can react to anti-Japanese South Korean politics. With this overreaction, South Korea is hurting its image of tech powerhouse, since it is making look that can't survive without these Japanese export controlls, but obviously it's not true. Also this way, fueling anti-Japanese feelings is more important for the domestic politics.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

"What products does Korea make that Japan needs? I cannot think of one."

I can think of three:

1) Cheese dogs

2) seaweed

3) Korean pie. it is really sweet. I can't live without it.

Other than those three. I can't think any. Can you?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Japan is just following trump, Japan never think deeply abt japan.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

President Moon Jae-in is the living breathing political definition of, Hans Christian Andersen "The Emperor's New Clothes.".......President Moon Jae-in lack of foresight is reason alone to be deemed unfit for office.

President Moon Jae-in should put the interests fo his people and country first and stand down.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Act 3, line 1 (Moon):  But, (whine, sob / whine, sob), I want my cake and eat it, too.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

I sense from a panic stricken behaviour of South Korean President Moon Jae-in that both politically and diplomatically the Government of Japan patience has out.

This limited trade embargo could be a prelude to a proclamation that the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea signed on June 22, 1965 to be ineffective…...

If so, the outcome presents a catastrophic break down for the geopolitical future of the region.

President Moon Jae-in, is beyond hapless.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Yes, Japan faces a tough choice: Suffer economic difficulties, or be forced to endure S. Korea's emotional bullying for ever after.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Just 3 materials off the list caused this hysteric national tantrum. What would happen when entire country off the list next month? and then how it would be like when it is put on black list?? LOL

3 ( +6 / -3 )

"damage Japan more than South Korea."

Since when have the Koreans been concerned about Japan? Isn't damage to Japan what Koreans have always wanted?

7 ( +9 / -2 )

What a bunch of babies.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

@Johny Jawbreaker Johnson

Correct me if Im wrong but can't Korea just buy the key materials from other suppliers like the US and Russia?

1._Hydrogen Fluoride : This material is nothing special. The reason Korea imports is because of NIMBY(This thing is toxic and local resistance to any proposed factory was fierce until now). So Korea either import cheap Hydrogen Fluoride from China and refine it to desired purity, or imported pre-refined Hydrogen Fluoride from Japan because it was cheaper than domestically refined Hydrogen Fluoride due to economy of scale. But if necessary, it is indeed possible to ramp up the domestic production if given a sufficient lead-time of 6 months.

2._7 nm EUV Photoresist : This is not a problem now because the Japanese supplier agreed to keep supplying from its Korean factory. From the 5 nm and onward, Samsung plans to switch to its US subsidy as the provider anyway.

3._Fluorinated Polyimide : This is not the same variant as the one in the Galaxy Fold and Sumitomo confirmed they will keep supplying unrestricted. Even if it was banned, Samsung can just switch to the Korean vendor's product, which is more scratch resistant than Sumitomo's product but has less clarity.

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4275074-sorry-japans-material-embargo-help-micron-technology

Japan's embargo of materials to Korea will have almost no impact on the production of memory chips and displays.

Korea's embargo of photoresist is specific to EUV lithography, which is not used in memory production, and will not benefit Micron Technology.

One possible benefit to Micron is if Korea initiates countermeasures to Japan, increasing tariffs on Korean-made DRAMs and NAND.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-14/samsung-secures-emergency-supply-of-3-key-materials-yonhap-says

Samsung Secures Emergency Supply of Key Materials From Japan

 Vice Chairman Lee holds directors’ meeting on issue: report

 Supply to help prevent ‘grave manufacturing deadlock’: Yonhap

Samsung Electronics Co. has secured emergency supplies of three key materials that Japan had cut off as part of its export restrictions, averting a crisis at the South Korean company’s production lines.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

If you think this is bad, wait until you see Japanese banks halts issuing LCs towards Korean companies wanting to export.

Many nations do not accept Korean bank's LC so Japanese bank subrogate and issues them.

If Japanese banks halts this practice many Korean companies will need to pay higher premium to export their product which will result in hiking up the price.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

OMG seriously? Does Korea even make anything? Those Korean computers, Korean TVs?.... give me a break

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Correct me if Im wrong but can't Korea just buy the key materials from other suppliers like the US and Russia? Russia has an abundance of hyro-fluorides and the US has the industrial capacity and quality control to produce photoresists in high quantities.

Russia and other countries have much hydrogen fluoride as raw material. The material Japan produces from the hydrogen fluoride is very refined to make good uranium / nerve gas. It is very like uranium 235. There are uranium 238 all over the world but you have to make reriched uranium 235 for atomic bomb from uranium 238. This is not very easy to make it. You have to have very high technology of it.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

@talaraedokko

Someone please take their two heads and knock them together.

You don't know what you are talking about.

While Abe san was a spoiled brat Botchan, Moon was a spec-ops special forces soldier specialized in infiltration and explosive setting behind enemy lines.

Abe san wouldn't last a minute against Moon in a hand to hand combat.

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/moon-jae-in-from-special-forces-soldier-to-south-koreas-president-shoo-in

Moon Jae In: From special forces soldier to South Korea president

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

The more Moon whines and cries the more foolish he looks. He took the gamble that he could elevate hatred for Japan into a tool to unite with his Northern "Brothers". But his plan backfired. He's not going to go down in South Korean history as having re-united the two Koreas, but as the one who destroyed South Korea's economy. Not only has the U.S. become wary of his agenda, but so have the North Koreans. He;s grasping at straws trying to get the US, UN and WTO on his side. South Korea has already destroyed economic cooperation with Japan and has lost their trust. Of course typically, they do nothing to try to regain that trust.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Someone please take their two heads and knock them together. This is sick. At this point both have lost their moral upper hand.

Wrong. Japan hasn't at all. SK has been. Japan has done what it is supposed to do.

If SK, as it claims, has been implementing export control perfect, it is in the position to fully explain how and why the material like hydrogen fluoride (convertible for military usage) is being utilized in the country like UAE, Lebanon where there's no high-tech industries. It either cannot explain nor doesn't know anyway because those 156 illegal cases were identified after illegal exports were done, not blocked beforehand. SK is filing it's complaints with WTO only to lose it's face

5 ( +9 / -4 )

South Korea really needs to stop believing their own BS. If Japan stops all imports from SK they are doomed! SK needs Japan's economic benefits, but Japan does not need anything from SK. They can keep their K-pop and TV dramas too.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

Someone please take their two heads and knock them together. This is sick. At this point both have lost their moral upper hand. I’m just hoping they’re keeping their eyes and ears open and not let other nations pull quick ones as these two love birds sort things out. China is sending its boats out to the Senkaku in a test of Japan’s alertness. Someone swallow the pill and move forward.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

Thank you for your concern, S. Korean, but we will be just fine. Yawn.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

Correct me if Im wrong but can't Korea just buy the key materials from other suppliers like the US and Russia? Russia has an abundance of hyro-fluorides and the US has the industrial capacity and quality control to produce photoresists in high quantities. I cant really think of anything Japan produces that cant be imported from the US. Sure Japan is the first choice because of its cheaper prices and proximity to the supply chain but perhaps this will be a paradigm shift moment that Korea begins reorienting it's supply chain around the US.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

For the Koreans to be crying this loud, they must be seriously embarrassed over being called out for their past behaviors. Korean politicians need to stop blaming Japan for their own failures and corruption.

12 ( +14 / -2 )

Everyday Moon is on TV crying, denouncing, complaining, whining, threatening, throwing tantrums etc wanting very much for the whole world to believe their might and power, or what he perceive their power and might to be. Where is Japan in all of these? Sitting pretty, keeping cool, watching Moon make a fool of himself while demonstrating, silently though, how to hit softly but with full impact.

But Korea will never learn. Why? Because they would never ever beleuve, accept and admit Japan is mightier than them. They're just wired that way, afterall.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

All Asian countries (China, Taiwan, Hong Kong,,, etc) are now importing from Japan under the normal process of export. S Korea was a favorable country from 2004 to 2019. Japan put this country back on the normal list because Because Japan can't trust it any more about national security. That's all about it.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

Just 3 materials off preferential treatment could lead to this much of idiotic fuss.

Although SK has never had trade surplus with Japan for last 54 years, most of Korean citizen have had no idea how heavily SK economic structures dependent on made-in-Japan, not to mention that those core technologies were all planted by Japanese helps.

Look Japan has nothing much meaningful items it can boycott even if it wants to, or suffer without them.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

What products does Korea make that Japan needs? I cannot think of one. Japan has a huge trade surplus with Korea. Crooked Moon is getting desperate. There will be a military coup against him before winter, if he isnt already gone.

850 sensitive items Korea needs from Japan. And this is just the beginning. Japan should cut the supply of machine tools too.

Wise words from Peeping Tom, despite what all the other JT "experts" here are saying. Japan should also reduce by at least half a the number of SK tourists that are allowed to enter.

5 ( +12 / -7 )

Japan better ignore whatever Moon says because Japan decided the normal process of export for security.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Let's ratchet up this SK-initiated conundrum. Japan should now require special visas from South Koreans who want to visit Japan. But, Abe won't do that, with his tourist-numbers goal (which was a pipe-dream to begin with).

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Same paragraph repeated TWICE in the same day about same topic.

It is subliminal indoctrination. Koreans always do that, so do a few regular posters here.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

No northeast asians should be hurt by this.

-11 ( +1 / -12 )

Moon's retaliation plan.

1._Take Japan to the WTO for illegal export control. This is definitely happening after Japan's election.

2._Take Japan to the WTO for JDI bail out. JDI should be dead under normal business circumstances and Japan become a display-maker less country.

3._Announce a massive construction plan on the Liancourt Rocks. Moon will announce a plan to build a new port, a new heliport, and a hotel on the Liancourt Rocks. Now is considered the best time to do it since it won't get the relations any worse.

-7 ( +6 / -13 )

This whole episode should remind RoK that Japan is still “da king” in extreme quality, behind the scenes B2B goods.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

This is Abe's Pearl Harbor. His "tightened" controls over exports specifically of photoresists  and related materials that are essential for making semiconductors and display screens necessary for computers and smartphones came like a surprise attack. As with Pearl Harbor, the Abe government was low in critical thinking but high in being short sighted. They overestimated their own power and underestimated the power of their victim. The Japanese government presumed that their shock and awe would bring South Korea into submission (as they though Pearl Habit would frightened the Americans into diplomatic subserviance ). The opposite happened.

Certainly if the South Koreans cannot make semiconductor and display screens they will suffer, But with these things (two-thirds apparently coming from South Korea) Japan and other countries cannot make computers and smartphones. That will mean damage to the computer industry. And Imagine a smart phone shortage in Japan.

-17 ( +3 / -20 )

The incompetent abe regime fanned the incompetent flame by claiming 'security' was behind this clearly absurd stunt. SoKo rightly asked for evidence of this baseless claim and as always the incompetent oyajis retreated to their holes to hold useless meetings. Until people actually wake up and kick the useless fossils out of government,it's only going to get much much worse.

-8 ( +4 / -12 )

@oldman_13

Same paragraph repeated TWICE in the same day about same topic.

You aren't the only one who noticed that...

12 ( +12 / -0 )

The Japanese measures have stoked public anger in South Korea, where many believe Japan still hasn't fully acknowledged responsibility for atrocities committed during its colonial occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945.

Same paragraph repeated TWICE in the same day about same topic.

I swear, these articles are created using stock language that is cut and pasted onto every single article about Japan and South Korea.

15 ( +18 / -3 )

South Koreans have achieved their Golden age now. They think because they are super wealthy they are the world leader in their domain.

Even if Japan is not that white about WWII, the 1965 agreement has set all things. Asking always for more and so bending the rules by letting courts demand directly damages to Japanese firms. If ever accepting, this cycle would be a never-ending process to milk Japan. Japan has apologized. Problem is their politicians old dinosaurs, which are as wrong as their SK counterparts.

USA has been doing that with a few French companies like SNCF a few years ago just because of weak politicians, not because of a search of justice.

11 ( +14 / -3 )

Japanese people will accept SK,s any boycotts in this case. The country security is more important. And Japanese supermarkets have sold Korean products including delicious kimuchi.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

"Its removal from the list would require Japanese companies to apply for case-by-case approvals for exports to South Korea of more than 850 items deemed sensitive, not just the three materials affected by the trade curbs"

This is the reason for Korean incessant moaning; Japan has got them wrapped around Japan's little finger.

850 sensitive items Korea needs from Japan. And this is just the beginning. Japan should cut the supply of machine tools too.

After all, Korea does not need Japan that much and millions of suppliers are salivating to fill in the void.

(Disclaimer: as per JT "experts")

7 ( +13 / -6 )

"damage Japan more than South Korea."

"Its government plans to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization and raise the issue at next week's WTO General Council in Geneva."

Why bother then?!

Since Korea is adamant they have the upper hand, Japan needs them more (reminds me of another set of idiots over here), blah, blah, blah, just let Japan rot, rather than continuing this endless moaning.

11 ( +16 / -5 )

South Korea's president urged Japan on Monday to lift recently tightened controls on high-tech exports to South Korea, which he said threaten to shatter the countries' economic cooperation and could damage Japan more than South Korea.

There’s no more economic cooperation since your untrustworthy country has been taken off the whitelist.

Japan is producing over 80% of what your state-sponsored chaebols need to make the chip.

Japan will mass-sell to Taiwan and other Western companies who, I am pretty sure will be happy to knock you out of your pedestal. Don’t worry S.Korea, Japan will be just fine.

Keep whining, in 3months time, those companies will be able to sell to Apple and others cellphone companies and you’ll be left behind.

Do you feel the burn? I hope it was worth it.

15 ( +22 / -7 )

This nonsense hurts us all.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

So this latest political thing has “undermined 50 years” according to Mr Moon.

Overreacting much? And no, Korea has a lot more to lose than Japan in general.

12 ( +17 / -5 )

could damage Japan more than South Korea.

Well if that's the case, then I guess he can just call off all those investigations he's demanding. Chalk it up as a win, right Moon?

Or he's just saying what the people want to hear, while all his anti-Japan political shenanigans continue to backfire on him.

19 ( +22 / -3 )

So? Both sides with get hurt, and it WILL set back relations even further! Some one needs to give these two a "time out"!

-4 ( +10 / -14 )

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