Japan to relist S. Korea as preferred trade country amid thaw in ties

Japan will relist South Korea as a preferred trade partner after a similar decision by Seoul on Tokyo's trade status, the Japanese government said Friday in the latest sign of a thaw in bilateral relations.

Japan will restore South Korea's preferential status after it was revoked in 2019 for the purchase of products that could be diverted for military use, according to Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

The removal of South Korea from a "white list" of countries that are entitled to receive minimum restrictions in trade came as the two countries' relations had worsened to their lowest point in decades over wartime history.

But the two neighbors now see a growing number of signs of improvement, with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol pushing to mend the soured ties since he took office nearly a year ago.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Yoon last month confirmed they will maintain "close communication" in the face of North Korea's escalating missile and nuclear threat and China's increasing military assertiveness.

Earlier this week, South Korea placed Japan back on its list of countries entitled to preferential treatment.

© Kyodo News