1. On the occasion of the 2019 ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers’ Meetings, Kang Kyung-wha, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, had a meeting with Taro Kono, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, on the morning of August 1. During the meeting, the two sides discussed the issues between the two countries, including the ruling of the ROK Supreme Court regarding the victims of forced labor during Japan’s occupation of Korea as well as the Japanese government’s measures to impose export restrictions.

2. Minister Kang demanded that the Japanese government immediately withdraw its improper measures to impose export restrictions; expressed regret to the Japanese government over the fact that although the ROK government has continued to underscore the need to seek a solution through diplomatic consultations, the Japanese government was pushing ahead with its measure to remove the ROK from its whitelist, which could have tremendously negative impact on the bilateral relations; and strongly urged the Japanese government to refrain from taking this measure in order to prevent any further deterioration of the situation.