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South Korea seeks US help in export dispute with Japan

South Korea seeks US help in export dispute with Japan

South Korean national flags fly at the International Horticulture Goyang Korea exhibition in Goyang, Gyeonggi province, South Korea, on Friday, May 10, 2019. The Bank of Korea faces rising speculation that it will reduce its benchmark rate from the current 1.75% when it meets July 18. The BOK forecast 2.5% economic growth for this year in April. Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg

South Korea’s foreign minister told US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that Japan’s export curbs against Seoul are “undesirable”, the foreign ministry said, as a trade dispute between the East Asian neighbours grows.

South Korea’s ruling party also announced that up to about 300bn won ($254.8m) would be included in a supplementary budget bill to cope with Japan’s export curbs by speeding localisation of materials supplies for chips and display panels.

The ruling Democratic Party said about one-third of the proposed budget would be for supporting South Korean materials and equipment makers to commercialise their products.