South Korea restores Japan on trade ‘white list’

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea has formally restored Japan to its list of countries it gives preferential treatment in trade, three years after the neighbors downgraded each other’s trade status amid a diplomatic row over historical grievances. South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced the move through a government gazette. It also said Seoul will further restrict technology and industrial exports to Russia and its ally Belarus to support a U.S.-led pressure campaign against Moscow over the war in Ukraine. Following years of friction, Seoul and Tokyo are working to repair relations as they tighten their three-way security cooperation with Washington to counter the threat posed by North Korea.