Anchor: President Moon Jae-in has urged Japan to scrap its recent export controls against South Korean tech giants. He said the restrictions are only an attempt to limit trade for a political purpose.
Kim Bum-soo has more. 

Report: President Moon Jae-in has addressed Japan's recent trade restrictions on South Korean chipmakers, urging Tokyo to come to the dialogue table.  

[Sound bite: President Moon Jae-in (Korean)] 
"I urge Japan to withdraw its decision and take part in sincere bilateral dialogue. I hope Japan will live up to the international community's faith in the principles of free trade it has always advocated for as means of achieving common prosperity." 

During a meeting with his key aides at the top office on Monday, Moon also warned that Seoul will have to act if its corporations are hurt by Japan's decision.

[Sound bite: President Moon Jae-in (Korean)] 
"The government will also try to resolve the problem diplomatically. A vicious cycle of a response and counter-response is not desirable for either side. But if actual damage is incurred on the Korean corporate side, the [South Korean] government will be bound to issue necessary counter-responses. I hope we do not have to resort to that."

He said Japan's export curbs are only an attempt to limit trade for a political purpose. 

Moon urged his officials to establish an emergency response manual to cope with Japan's action, aimed at hurting stable supply of key high-tech materials needed in producing semiconductors and smartphones. 

The measures are widely perceived as retaliation for the South Korean Supreme 
Court's ruling late last year ordering Japanese companies to compensate Korean victims of wartime forced labor.

While calling for consultations, the South Korean president also noted the government will make sure to improve the country's structural economic dependency and trade balance with Japan.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.